title: Depression in women aged 75-89--predisposing factors and preventive measures.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are analyses showing the relationship between low and irregular physical activity and the risk of more frequent occurrences of depression symptoms in the future. There are studies that do not prove the connection between those two dependencies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to find the relationship between physical activity before menopause and the occurrence of depression in senium.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was comprised of 200 randomly selected women, aged 75-89 years, who were treated in the local department of general surgery and oncology from January to June 2009. The study used a 15-point Geriatric Depression Scale which is an integral part of the EASY care (Polish version 1999-2002) questionnaire to assess emotional efficiency, and the Questionnaire Survey for Research on Physical Activity in Older People which contains 8 questions. The results were statistically analyzed using a Student's test and basic probabilities calculations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The probability of depression in women aged 75-89 is 0.8. Increased physical activity in pre-menopausal women neither affects the level of depression, nor prevents it (p < 0.1). Depression was more common in people living alone, in which case the probability is 0.85. Postmenopausal women enjoy a beneficial impact on physical activity in the following areas: previous activity (p < 0.001), family support (p < 0.0001), GP support (p < 0.001), and television education (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Depression among elderly women is very common. In this study, depression was found in 80% of senior women. There is a relationship between depression and physical activity. Increased physical activity in premenopausal women neither affects the level of depression, nor prevents it. There was no correlation between age, weight, education, place of residence and depression. Depression was more common in people living alone.
authors.affiliation: 2nd General Surgical Ward, T. Marciniak Lower Silesian Center of Emergency Medicine, District Railway Hospital, Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chrzan
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karmowski
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pawelec
authors.forename: Krzysztof J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Łatkowski
authors.forename: Mikołaj
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karmowski
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D009043:Motor Activity; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D017697:Premenopause; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012847:Single Person / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires