Abstract

VAZ, Sérgio Filipe Alves  and  GASPAR, Nuno Miguel Soares. Depression in older people in institutional care in Braganca. Rev. Enf. Ref. [online]. 2011, vol.serIII, n.4, pp.49-58. ISSN 0874-0283.

The purpose of this research is to study depression in institutionalized older people in the district of Bragança. The aims are to determine the prevalence of depression and assess the existence of some known risk factors for its appearance and maintenance. The participants were 186 elderly residents in 14 residential homes in the district of Bragança. Instruments used were the Mini Mental State Examination, the Geriatric Depression Scale and the Barthel index. To estimate the adjustment to institutional status and importance given to participation in leisure activities, the Index of Adaptation (a = 0.61) and the Index of Activity and Recreation (a = 0.63) were created. The feeling of loneliness was self-reported by participants. A high prevalence rate of depression (47%) was observed. Depression was more prevalent among women (51%) than men (40%). Depression was also related to lower cognitive levels, lower adjustments to institutional life, reduced participation in leisure activities, higher rates of loneliness and greater dependency in activities of daily living. In summary, almost half of the older people studied in the district of Bragança were depressed. Depression in the institutional context was predicted by loneliness, less importance given to leisure activities and regarding the male or female condition.

Keywords : depression; elderly; institutionalization; prevalence.

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