Relationship between Age and Depressive Symptoms among Institutionalized Elderly Veterans in Northern Taiwan

年齡與憂鬱症狀之關聯性探討－北台灣榮民之家老年榮民爲例

梁志光(Chih-Kuang Liang) ； 陳亮恭(Liang-Kung Chen) ； 蔡佳芬(Chia-Fen Tsai) ； 蘇東平(Tung-Ping Su) ； 盧玉強(Yuk-Keung Lo) ； 藍忠孚(Chung-Fu Lan) ； 黃信彰(Shinn-Jang Hwang)

《台灣老年醫學雜誌》 2卷4期 (2007/05) Pp. 234-242

https://doi.org/10.29462/TGG.200705.0002

摘要

目的：憂鬱症是老人照護中相當重要的議題，尤其是機構式照護的住民，憂鬱症狀的篩檢更是不可忽略。本研究以北部某榮民之家老年住民爲對象，進行憂鬱症狀的篩檢並嘗試探討憂鬱症狀與年齡之間的關係。
方法：本研究對象爲北部某榮民之家年齡大於65歲之住民，在排除意識不清或 無法溝通者，個案之身心功能狀態以「基本資料庫資源利用分組之生活功能評估(RUG ADL Score)」爲之，生活品質以社會參與指數(social engagement score)爲之。憂鬱症狀之篩檢使用15題之中文簡式老年憂鬱量表(GDS-15)，其總分大於5分者被判定爲具有憂鬱症狀。此外，個案的心智狀況以簡易心智檢查(MMSE)進行評估。
結果：總計594位住民納入研究，平均年齡爲80.9±5.4歲，全部爲男性，其整體功能狀況有92.8%爲獨立自主。所有研究對象之老人憂鬱量表總分平均爲2.0±2.3分，而憂鬱症狀的盛行率爲8.8%(52/594)。所有研究個案的平均簡易心智狀況檢查總分爲26.8±3.7分，經Partial Pearson correlation方法分析年齡與老年憂鬱量表分數發現年齡與老人憂鬱量表總分之間並無明顯相關性(p=0.79)，經比較不同年齡組別與憂鬱症狀的盛行率之間亦無統計上的差異(p=0.34)。
結論：憂鬱症是老年人口常見疾病或疾患狀況，然而，本研究無法呈現長年居住於榮民之家內的高齡住民年齡與憂鬱症狀之間的顯著關聯性，其背後的原因猶待進一步研究。

關鍵字

老化 ； 憂鬱症狀 ； 老人 ； 老年憂鬱量表 ； 機構式照護

並列摘要

Background: Depression was important in the care for the elderly, especially for institutionalized residents. While the association between elder age and depression remains to be confirmed, the prevalence of depression does report a trend of rising with age. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of age and depressive symptoms among residents of a veterans home in northern Taiwan.
Methods: Residents aged over 65 in a veterans home were invited for the study after excluding subjects with limitation of communication and altered consciousness. Physical function was determined by Minimum Data Set resource utilization group activities of daily living score (RUG ADL score), and quality of life was measured by Minimum Data Set social engagement score. Depressive symptoms were screened by short Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) and the cutoff of ＞5 was defined as with depressive symptoms. Meanwhile, the cognitive status was evaluated by Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE).
Results: In total, 594 residents (80.9±5.4 years), all males, were recruited and 92.8% were physically independent. The mean GDS-15 score of all study subjects was 2.0±2.3, and the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms was 8.8% (52/594). In addition, the mean MMSE score was 26.8±3.7. By partial Pearson correlation, age and GDS-15 score were not significantly related (p=0.79), and the prevalence of depressive symptoms and different age stratas were statistically insignificant (p=0.34).
Conclusion: Depression is common in the elderly, but depressive symptoms were not significantly associated with elder age among elderly residents in the veteran home. Further investigations are needed to clarify the complex interrelationship between age and depression in other settings.

並列關鍵字

aging ； depression ； elderly ； GPS ； institutionalized care