Nutritional Risk, Perceived Health Status, and Depression of the Young-Old and the Old-Old in Low-Income Elderly Women

Lee, Myung Suk

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to compare the nutritional risk, health status and depression levels of young-old (65-74 years) and old-old (75-84 years) women on low-income.
METHODS
A total of 624 elderly women, each over 65 years of age, participated in this study under the auspices of a community social center. Data were collected from June to August 2011 by means of personal interviews which employed questionnaires. The research tools used in this study were the nutritional risk measuring Mini Nutritional Assesment (MNA) by Kim (2000), perceived health status developed by Lawton et al. (1982), Elderly Depression Criterion developed by Sheikh & Yesavage (1985). The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS WIN 12.0 Program.
RESULTS
Nutritional risk, perceived health status and depression levels showed a significant difference between young-old and old-old. There was a positive correlation between nutritional risk and depression and a negative correlation between nutritional risk and perceived health status. A 38.2% variance in depression levels of young-old and a 29.7% variance in depression levels of old-old were explained by perceived health status, nutritional risk and the number of people living together.
CONCLUSION
The findings demonstrate variances in depression levels among low - income women differing in age. As a result, the outcomes of this study ought to be employed in the development of future programs aimed at promoting the health of elderly women.