title: Relationship between elderly depression and health status in male veterans.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Elderly depression affects the overall health and quality of life of institutionalized men.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study explored the relationship between depression and health status in institutionalized male veterans in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  This survey study used a cross-sectional research design and recruited 152 elderly male residents of a veterans' home in northern Taiwan. A validated questionnaire assessed depression, health status, and demographic characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than one fifth of the subjects (21.7%) exhibited depression. Those with poor general health status (odds ratio [OR] = 7.9, p < .001), relatively high levels of dependence on others for daily physical activities (OR = 4.6, p = .002), or self-perceived negative influences of chronic diseases on daily living (OR = 11.7, p < .001) faced the highest prevalence of depression. Subjects with hypertension (OR = 2.3, p = .034), cataracts (OR = 3.7, p = .007), or liver disease (OR = 8.1, p = .006) had the highest prevalence of depression. Identified risk factors of depression among the elderly male veterans included self-perceived negative influence of chronic diseases on daily living (adjusted OR = 10.2, p < .001) and cataracts (adjusted OR = 4.3, p = .023).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Geriatrician nurses should develop strategies to maintain general patient health and reduce the negative impact of chronic diseases and cataracts on daily life to reduce depression in institutionalized male veterans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Song Shan Armed Forces General Hospital.
authors.forename: Tsai-Yun
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Ke-Hsin
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chueh
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*