A Study of Depression Observed Among The Eledrly Residing in Home For The Aged In Korea

Park, Byung Tak; Lee, Jong Bum; Lee, Jung Hoon; Cheung, Seung Douk

Abstract

Using Zung's self-rating depression scale, the authors studied depression in 310 elderlies residing in the 9 home for the aged (HFA) in Kyungbuk area, and 234 elderlies living in Taegu city and 107 elderlies attending a Life-long education program in Taegu, which serve as a control group, Community resident elderlies (CRE). The research had been administered during the period from June to August, 1986. The results were as follows: 1. The mean scores of male, female, and the total of the elderlies in HFA were 38.95±11.55, 44.18±14.15, and 42.8±13.7 respectively while CRE marked 40.8±11.3 for male, 45.2±12.0 for female, and 43.4±11.9 for the total. Therefore there were significant differences between male and female in both groups (<0.01, p<0.001), though no significant difference between the two groups. However, the depression score of elderlies in HFA might be much higher than that of CRE if 81 elderlies (14.2%) in HFA who had been left out of the statistical evaluation due to their having severe depression, organic brain syndrome, or pseudoementia, etc had been included. 2. The score distribution by items for the elderlies in HFA were from highest scores hopelessness, worthlessness, emptiness, decreased appetite, confusion, while for CRE, hopelessness, decreased appetite, psychomotor retardation, indecisiveness, and worthlessness, Elderlies in HFA showed significantly high scores in depressed mood, weight loss, suicidal rumination (ideation) and psychomotor excitement, while CRE showed significantly high scores in decreased appetite, psychomotor retardation, indecisiveness, and dissatisfaction. 3. Elderlies who scored over 50 numbered 10 males (16%), 57 females (34%), and total of 67 (29%) in HFA and 28 male (21%), 77 females (37%), and total of 105 (31%) in CRE: female showed higher seores in both groups. 4. Psychococial factors such as getting older (respectively p<0.01, p<0.01), being Buddhist (respectively p<0.01, p<0.01), and monthly pocket money less than â‚©30,000 (respectively p<0.001, p<0.001) were found to have a noticeable impact on the depression level of the elderlies in both groups. Factors such as illiteracy (p<0.001), monthly pocket money less than â‚©10,000 (p<0.05), and having no family (p<0.01) recorded significantly higher scores among CRE than the elderlies in HFA.