title: Differences in mood between elderly persons living in different residential environments in Slovenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mood disorders are an important health risk factor in the elderly population. Studies on the relationship between residential environment and elder's psychological wellbeing show the worst psychological status results in institutionalized subjects. To elucidate this relationship in Slovenia, we compared cognitive functioning and the levels of anxiety and depression of Slovenian elders among different residential arrangements.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects were recruited from elderly clubs (EC; living at home; n=32), elderly day care centers (EDC; living at home; n=22), and elderly homes (EH; institutionalized; n=49). All were female, 65-80 years of age and matched for their duration of education. We compared the cognitive status (Mini Mental State Examination) and the levels of depression and anxiety (Zung self-rating depression scale inventory, Zung self-rating anxiety scale inventory) among the three groups. For statistics ANOVA, MANOVA, and ANCOVA were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The EDC group showed the highest levels of anxiety, depression and cognitive decline compared to the EC and EH groups, with no statistically significant differences between the EC and EH groups did not differ significantly in these respects. Controlling for the cognitive status revealed that general cognitive functioning and residential environment did not exert their influence directly on the depression level, but rather through their interaction. Regarding anxiety levels, after controlling for the cognitive status no significant differences were found between the study groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In terms of anxiety and depression among Slovenian elders without or with moderate cognitive decline, home environment may be favored versus institutionalization. Visitors of EDC should probably receive more attention to their psychological wellbeing, including possible earlier transfer to EH.
authors.affiliation: University Psychiatric Clinic, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Estera
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zalik
authors.forename: Bojan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zalar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003631:Day Care, Medical / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012657:Self-Help Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017524:Slovenia / Q000453:epidemiology