Symptoms In Elderly Women Research Articles

Immersive virtual reality as support for the mental health of elderly women: a randomized controlled trial

Several forms of virtual reality (VR) have shown promise in treating mental disorders. However, there is a lack of research investigating the use of multicomponent immersive VR. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an immersive virtual reality (IVR) intervention that incorporated Japanese garden aesthetics, relaxation, and elements of Erickson’s psychotherapy in alleviating depression and anxiety symptoms among elderly women. Sixty women with depressive symptoms were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. Both groups received eight (twice a week for four weeks) low-intensity general fitness training sessions. The IVR group (n = 30) received eight additional VR-based relaxation sessions, whereas the control group (n = 30) received eight group relaxation. As outcome measures, the geriatric depression scale (GDS; primary) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS; secondary) were administered before and after the interventions. The protocol was registered in the ClinicalTrials.gov PRS database (Registration number: NCT05285501). Patients receiving IVR therapy exhibited a greater significant reduction in the GDS (adjusted mean post-difference of 4.10; 95% CI = 2.27–5.93) and HADS (2.95; 95% CI = 0.98–4.92) scores than those receiving the control intervention. In conclusion, IVR with elements of psychotherapy, relaxation, and garden aesthetics may alleviate the severity of depression and anxiety symptoms in elderly women.

Association of neighborhood greenness with depressive symptoms in elderly women

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Epidemiological evidence of the beneficial association between greenness and depression in the elderly is still limited and results of studies are inconsistent. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between neighbourhood greenness and depression in elderly women. METHODS: We enrolled 821 women (aged 66-80) from the German SALIA cohort for the 2007-2010 follow-up examination. Greenness was assessed for each participant using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) (year 2009) for different circular buffers (100-m, 300-m, 500-m and 1000-m) around the residential address. We used two depression outcomes: self-reported doctor diagnosis of ever depression and the frequency of depressive symptoms by using the 20-items Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD-R). Cross-sectional associations were assessed using adjusted logistic and linear regression models. RESULTS:In the adjusted models, a 0.1-point increase in NDVI within 300-m was associated with a decreased odds of prior diagnosis of depression (odds ratios (OR): 0.691, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.495, 0.965). Similarly, a 0.1-point increase in NDVI within 1000-m was associated with decreased depressive symptoms assessed with the CESD-R score (-12.5% difference in the mean; 95% CI: -21.2%, -3.7%). The results were not consistent across different buffers even though they were in the same direction. CONCLUSIONS:Urban greening might potentially decrease depression rates in elderly population. KEYWORDS: depression, depressive symptoms, elderly, greenspace, NDVI

The relationship between sunlight exposure duration and depressive symptoms: A cross-sectional study on elderly Chinese women.

Sunlight has been reported to have various beneficial effects on human health. Although research indicates an association between sunlight exposure and depressive symptoms, no study has examined it among the older adult population, especially among elderly Chinese women. This cross-sectional study addresses the aforesaid gap by investigating this association in 1,429 Chinese women aged 60 years and older. Information on their sunlight exposure was collected through a self-reported questionnaire. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). The logistic regression models revealed that greater exposure to sunlight is associated with a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms. In the final adjusted model, when the short sunlight exposure category (reference) was compared with the medium and long ones, the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the prevalence of depressive symptoms (SDS cutoff ≥ 45) were 0.84 (0.60, 1.19) and 0.62 (0.43, 0.91), respectively (p-value for trend = 0.01). This significant association did not change when the SDS cutoff points were altered to ≥ 40 and ≥ 50. Findings indicate that an increased sunlight exposure duration is associated with a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms in elderly women.

The effects of an 8-week knitting program on osteoarthritis symptoms in elderly women: A pilot randomized controlled trial

BackgroundExercise therapy is effective in reducing symptoms and disability associated with hand osteoarthritis (HOA) but often has low adherence. An intervention consisting in a meaningful occupation, such as knitting, may improve adherence to treatment. This pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) studied the adherence and clinical effectiveness of a knitting program in older females suffering from HOA to evaluate the acceptability of this intervention and assess the feasibility of a larger-scale RCT. MethodsSingle-blind, two-arm pilot RCT with a parallel group design with 37 participants (18 control, 19 intervention). Control participants were given an educational pamphlet and assigned to a waiting list. The knitting program (8-week duration) had two components: bi-weekly 20-min group knitting sessions and daily 20-min home knitting session on the 5 remaining weekdays. Measures included knitting adherence (implementation outcomes) as well as stiffness, pain, functional status, hand physical activity level, patient's global impression of change, health-related quality of life, self-efficacy, and grip strength (clinical outcomes measured throughout the 8-week program and 4 weeks after the intervention). ResultsOur protocol is feasible and the intervention was acceptable and enjoyable for participants, who showed high adherence. No difference was observed between the two groups for any of the clinical outcome measures (all p > .05). ConclusionKnitting is a safe and accessible activity for older women with HOA. However, our 8-week knitting program did not result in improvements in any of our outcome measures. Knitting for a longer period and/or with higher frequency may yield better outcomes.

Associations of urinary bisphenol A and its alternatives bisphenol S and F concentrations with depressive symptoms among adults

BackgroundBisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol F (BPF), as substitutes for bisphenol A (BPA), are synthetic compounds detected increasingly frequently in plastics and resins. BPA, BPS, and BPF are endocrine disruptors with unclear effects on depressive symptoms. This study aims to evaluate the effects of these compounds on depressive symptoms in adults. MethodsWe used data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2016 for BPA (N = 7,085) and NHANES 2013–2016 for BPS and BPF (N = 2,707). BPA, BPS and BPF were detected in urine samples. Depressive symptoms were assessed with a nine-item patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9). Logistic regression models were used to investigate the effects of urinary BPA, BPS, and BPF concentrations on depressive symptoms. ResultsIn the general population, no significant association was observed between urinary BPA, BPS, and BPF and depressive symptoms. However, in stratified analyses, urinary BPS was positively associated with depressive symptoms in men (odds ratio [OR], 2.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13–7.47). In elderly men (≥60 years old), urinary BPA and BPS were positively correlated with depressive symptoms with ORs (95% CIs) of 5.53 (1.55–19.70) and 28.89 (4.23–192.75), respectively. In addition, urinary BPS was negatively associated with depressive symptoms (OR, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.04–0.59) in elderly women (≥60 years old). ConclusionsThis study indicated that exposure to BPA and BPS was positively associated with depressive symptoms, especially in men. However, BPS was negatively associated with depressive symptoms in elderly women.

Qualidade de vida e prevalência de sintomas depressivos em idosas com dor crônica

Este estudo buscou avaliar a qualidade de vida e a prevalência de sintomas depressivos em idosas com dor crônica. Tratou-se de um estudo quantitativo de cunho transversal, descritivo e comparativo em que foram comparadas 65 idosas com dor crônica (grupo dor – GD) e sem dor crônica (grupo sem dor crônica - GSD) de um município da região norte do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Como instrumentos foram utilizados um questionário socioeconômico e de saúde, a escala de Medida de Dor Geriátrica (Geriatric Pain Measure - GPM), a escala de Depressão Geriátrica (GDS-15) e a escala de qualidade de vida WHOQOL-Bref. A prevalência de dor crônica foi de 52,3% e para estas idosas houve prevalência sintomas depressivos em 18,4%, já no grupo sem dor crônica 9,2% tiveram esses sintomas, mas não houve diferença estatisticamente significativa entre os grupos. Entretanto, pode-se concluir que por mais que a prevalência de sintomas depressivos seja baixa, as idosas com dor apresentaram menor satisfação com a qualidade de vida comparadas com as sem dor.

The Effect of Combined Drug Management and an Exercise Program on Symptoms and the Happiness Level in Elderly Women

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of combined drug management and an exercise program on symptoms and the happiness levels of elderly women people living at home. This interventional study included a total of 35 women, aged 65 to 74 years, who were registered at the Family Healthcare Centre. A 14-week program was combined with exercise and drug management. Pre-test and post-test evaluations results were recorded. The Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS), Oxford Happiness Questionnaire-Short Form (OHQ-SF) and a sociodemographic form and Follow-Up form were used for data collection. The mean ESAS points of the symptoms of pain, tiredness, sadness, and insomnia showed a significant decrease after intervention and the sense of well-being improved ( p < .001). A statistically significant increase was determined in the happiness levels of the participants after intervention. The combined program of drug management and exercise was found to be effective in raising happiness levels and reducing symptoms in elderly women.

Air pollution is associated with depressive symptoms in elderly women with cognitive impairment

BackgroundStudies on air pollution and depression in the elderly are limited and the results are heterogeneous. ObjectivesWe examined the association of ambient air pollution exposure and diagnosis and symptoms of depression in the elderly; and whether any associations were confounded or modified by cognitive decline. MethodsWe enrolled 821 elderly women from the German SALIA cohort (follow-up examination, 2007–2010). Self-reported depressive symptoms and level of cognition were evaluated using the CESD-R Scale and the CERAD-Plus test, respectively. We used two depression endpoints for analyses: self-reported doctor diagnosis of depression and frequency of depressive symptoms (CESD-R score). Long-term concentrations of particulate matter (PM) size fractions and nitrogen oxides (NOx) modeled by land-use regression were assigned to home addresses. Cross-sectional associations were assessed using adjusted logistic and linear regression models. ResultsConcentrations of coarse particles (PMcoarse), fine particles (PM2.5 and PM2.5 abs) and NO2 were significantly associated with diagnosis of depression (e.g. for PM2.5 OR = 1.62, 95%CI: 1.06, 2.46 and for NO2 OR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.08, 2.19). Similarly, an increase of one interquartile range in PM10, PM2.5, NO2 and NOx was associated with depressive symptoms assessed with the CESD-R score (e.g. for PM2.5 16.2% difference in the mean; 95% CI: 5.8%, 26.5% and for NO2 14.5%; 95% CI: 4.8%, 24.2%). These associations were stronger in women with cognitive decline (e.g. Pint for PM2.5:0.022 and NO2:0.017) compared to women with normal cognition. In addition, living less than 100 m distance to major roads was significantly associated with diagnosis (OR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.14, 3.47) and symptoms (19.7%; 95% CI: 4.3%, 35.1%) of depression. We did not observe any interaction effect of cognition on prior diagnosis of depression. ConclusionsExposure to air pollution was associated with diagnosis of depression and depressive symptoms in elderly women. Women with impaired cognition may be at greater risk of depressive symptoms when exposed to air pollution.

A Randomized Controlled Trial on the Effects of Electromyographic Biofeedback on Quality of Life and Bowel Symptoms in Elderly Women With Dyssynergic Defecation.

Dyssynergic defecation is a usual cause of chronic constipation in elderly women, with a negative impact on health-related quality of life. The present randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effects of behavioral treatment through electromyographic biofeedback (EMG-BF) on quality of life and bowel symptoms in elderly women with dyssynergic defecation. Twenty chronically constipated elderly women, due to dyssynergic defecation, were enrolled in the study. Outcome measures included weekly stool frequency, anismus index, severity of patient-reported chronic constipation symptoms (abdominal, rectal, and stool symptoms), and overall measure of quality of life. After 1 month of baseline, participants were randomly assigned to either EMG-BF group (n = 10) or control group (n = 10). Three months after treatment, female patients were once again assessed following the same procedure in baseline. One-way multivariate analysis of variance MANOVA revealed no significant differences between the groups before treatment in any of the measured dependent variables (Wilks’s λ = 0.74; F6,13 = 0.77; p = 0.61). Likewise, univariate analysis showed no differences between the groups, either in terms of age (F1,18 = 0.96; p = 0.34) or mean disease duration (F1,18 = 2.99; p = 0.11). Three months after treatment, MANOVA revealed statistically significant differences between the groups (Wilks’s λ = 0.29; F6,13 = 5.19; p < 0.01). These differences were significant in all outcome measures. EMG-BF produces significant improvements in bowel symptoms and health-related quality of life of elderly women with dyssynergic defecation.

Effect of Weight Training with Pelvic Floor Muscle Training in Elderly Women with Urinary Incontinence

ABSTRACTPurpose: To determine if weight training combined with pelvic floor muscle training is more efficient than pelvic floor muscle training alone for the treatment of urinary incontinence (UI) symptoms in elderly women. Method: This was a two-arm, parallel, randomized controlled trial. Twenty-six women with stress UI participated in the study. The intervention group (IG) underwent training with moderate intensity weights combined with pelvic floor muscle training, whereas the control group (CG) only underwent pelvic floor muscle training. Intervention occurred twice a week over 12 weeks. The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire–Short Form was used as the main measure. Scores of zero defined the absence of symptoms. The absence of symptoms was evaluated at 4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 1 month after the end of treatment. Moreover, activities related to UI and the use and change of daily protection were investigated. Results: The rate of absence of symptoms was significantly higher in IG after 4 weeks (58.3%) compared to CG (14.8%). The relative risk was 4.1 (95% confidence interval [CI] [1.08, 16.06]). Although no intention-to-treat analysis was performed, there was no difference in the evaluations after the interventions. Conclusion: Compared to pelvic floor muscle training alone, the combination of weight training and pelvic floor muscle training provided earlier improvement of UI in elderly women.

Re: Efficacy and Safety of Fesoterodine Treatment for Overactive Bladder Symptoms in Elderly Women with and without Hypertension.

Re: Efficacy and Safety of Fesoterodine Treatment for Overactive Bladder Symptoms in Elderly Women with and without Hypertension.

The role of education on the association between disability and depressive symptoms among community-dwelling older adults: Evidence from Frailty in Brazilian Older People (Fibra) study

ObjectivesTo explore whether higher socioeconomic status attenuates the effects of depressive symptoms on disability among older adults. MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study based on 596 older adults, aged 65 and over, from a large city (Belo Horizonte) in Brazil. Disability was defined as limitation in activities such as Basic Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL). Covariates were age, comorbidities, Body Mass Index (BMI) and grip strength. Statistical analyses were based on Ordinal Logistic Regression and calculated separately for men and women. ResultsElderly women with disability and higher education levels have similar prevalence of depressive symptoms compared to those without disability (17.9% and 16.1%, respectively), but lower compared to those disabled with lower education (37.2%). A positive gradient trend was observed for depressive symptoms across disability categories among women (OR = 2.61; 95% CI 1.52, 4.48). However, these patterns were not observed among men. ConclusionA higher level of education attenuates odds of depressive symptoms in elderly women with disability but does not eliminate it. Therefore, screening for depressive symptoms in low-educated elderly women is important in order to identify them and start early prevention care for target risk population and decrease the disability expenses for health services.

Efficacy and safety of fesoterodine treatment for overactive bladder symptoms in elderly women with and without hypertension.

To assess fesoterodine treatment in elderly women with overactive bladder with and without hypertension. Data for 2527 elderly women with overactive bladder symptoms, including urgency urinary incontinence, were pooled from 10 double-blind, placebo-controlled fesoterodine studies. A total of 1523 elderly women (60.3%) had a history of hypertension, and 1004 women (39.7%) had no hypertension history. Overactive bladder symptoms, mean bodyweight and mean body mass index at baseline were significantly higher in women with overactive bladder and hypertension versus those without hypertension (P<0.05). Statistically significant improvements in overactive bladder symptoms at week12 were observed for fesoterodine treatment versus placebo in women with hypertension and those without (P<0.05). The diary-dry rate (no urgency urinary incontinence episodes), the proportion with less than eight micturitions/24h, overactive bladder symptom bother and health-related quality of life were also statistically significantly improved by fesoterodine treatment in both populations. Incidence of treatment-related adverse events with fesoterodine was similar in women with hypertension (39.3%) and without hypertension (44.6%). Dry mouth and constipation were the most common treatment-related adverse events with fesoterodine in women with hypertension (26.2% and 5.2%, respectively) and without hypertension (30.5% and 8.0%). A relationship among the severity of overactive bladder symptoms, hypertension and obesity in elderly women is suggested. Fesoterodine provides significantly greater improvements in overactive bladder symptoms and health-related quality of life versus placebo in women with or without hypertension. Hypertension does not appear to affect the efficacy and safety of fesoterodine in elderly women with overactive bladder symptoms, including urgency urinary incontinence.

Physical Function, Cognitive Function, and Depressive Symptoms in Elderly Women with Dysmobility Syndrome

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between physical and cognitive functions and depressive symptoms in elderly women with dysmobility syndrome. For this study, data on 6,070 elderly women were used and 43 of these women had dysmobility syndrome. The tools used in this study were the Physical Functioning (PF) Scale, Mini-Mental State Examination-Korean Version (MMSE-K), and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)-short form. The level of physical function was significantly lower in the dysmobility syndrome group than in the normal group equivalents. Depressive symptoms were significantly negatively correlated with physical function and each of its sub-categories in the dysmobility syndrome group. Multiple regression analysis results indicated that the only predictor of depressive symptoms among elderly women with dysmobility syndrome was PF 5 (the muscle strength of the upper limbs, β = -3.031, P = 0.004), which explained 41.4% of the variance in depressive symptoms (F = 6.985, P < 0.001). The analysis of newly suggested dysmobility syndrome-related factors is expected to help assess health status of elderly people

The effect of pelvic floor muscle training in urinary incontinent elderly women: a sistematic review

Introduction The International Continence Society (ICS) determines that the pelvic floor muscles training (PFMT) is the first-choice treatment of urinary symptoms in women. Objective The aim of this study was to systematize randomized controlled clinical trials that address the effects of PFMT in the treatment of urinary symptoms in older women using objective outcome measures. Method Systematic review search was performed eletronic the following databases: Medline, Pubmed, Lilacs, PEDro and manual research conducted in the references of the studies. Were considered eligible women aged over 60 years who performed PFMT in isolation, without the involvement of another technique. The PFMT performed in clinic or at home, with or without the supervision of a therapist and with or without the use of biofeedback as an adjunct. Considered as outcome measures urodynamic studies, voiding diary that assesses daytime urinary frequency, nocturnal urinary frequency, urinary incontinence and exchange absorbent, and, finally, the absorbent test that quantifies loss urinary grams. The assessment of methodological quality of the studies was conducted by PEDro scale. Results Three studies were reviewed in full. Only one trial was rated high methodological quality. There was significant improvement in urinary symptoms after treatment proposed in the three selected studies. Conclusion Considering the studies available so far are weak the evidence for the use of PFMT in the treatment of urinary symptoms in elderly women.

Effects of Physical Exercise on Plasma Levels of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Depressive Symptoms in Elderly Women—A Randomized Clinical Trial

ObjectivesTo investigate the effect of 2 standardized exercise programs, muscle strength exercises (SE) and aerobic exercises (AE), on the plasma levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and depressive symptoms in 451 elderly women. DesignA randomized controlled trial. SettingBelo Horizonte/MG–Brazil. ParticipantsCommunity-dwelling older women (N=451; age, 65–89y). InterventionThe participants were divided into 2 groups: SE and AE. Both protocols lasted 10 weeks, and 30 sessions (1-h sessions) in total were performed 3 times a week under the direct supervision of physical therapists. Main Outcome MeasuresPlasma levels of BDNF (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale). ResultsThere was a significant difference for BDNF plasma levels between the SE and AE groups (P=.009). Post hoc analysis revealed a pre-post intervention difference in BDNF levels only for the SE group (P=.008). A statistically significant difference was found for the pre- and postintervention Geriatric Depression Scale scores in both groups (P=.001), showing that the effects of both exercise protocols were comparable regarding depressive symptoms (P=.185). ConclusionsThe present findings have demonstrated the positive effect of muscle strengthening and aerobic intervention on depressive symptoms in community-dwelling elderly women. Interestingly, only SE significantly increased the plasma levels of BDNF in our sample. The positive effects of physical exercise on depressive symptoms in the elderly were not mediated by BDNF.

Biomarkers and Depressive Symptoms in Older Women with and without Cognitive Impairment

A number of biological markers have been implicated in late life depression with inconsistent results. The present study examined the relationship between several serum based biomarkers and symptoms of depression in a sample of elderly women with AD or cognitively intact. Methods 171 females (58 with AD and 113 cognitively intact) were recruited from the Longitudinal Research Cohort of the Texas Alzheimer’s Research and Consortium (TARC). Stepwise regressions were conducted with GDS total and subscales and a panel of biomarkers (CRP, IL-10, IL-1α, TNF-α, ICAM-1, BDNF, and MIF). ApoE4 status was coded (carrier or non-carrier), and the results were analyzed by cognitive status (AD or controls). Results: None of the biomarkers significantly predicted total GDS score for AD cases, controls or sample as a whole. For the Controls, ICAM significantly predicted Dysphoria and level of Apathy. Among AD patients, MIF, ICAM, and CRP, were significantly associated with Apathy. MIF and ICAM were inversely associated with reported Apathy. CRP was positively associated with Apathy. CRP was also positively related to level of perceived Cognitive Impairment. Conclusions: The present study was one of the first to examine biomarkers related to depression symptoms in elderly women with AD and normal controls. For Controls ICAM alone predicted level of apathy. In the AD group, MIF, CRP, and ICAM were significantly associated with apathy. More research examining the relationship between biomarkers and depression is needed in older patients with and without cognitive impairment across genders.

Clinical manifestations of elderly patients with digitalis intoxication in the emergency department

This study aimed to determine the clinical characteristics of elderly patients diagnosed with digitalis intoxication, on the Emergency Department, University Hospital Complex, A Coruña, Spain. During the study period (January–September 2008) cases were included in which digitalis intoxication was confirmed by plasma digoxin levels. We collected data on age, gender, base-line diseases, therapeutic indications for digoxin, functional classification, ejection fraction, plasma digoxin levels, creatinine clearance, ions, gasometry, electrocardiogram, concomitant medication, symptomatology and treatment. The results were: mean age 82.0 ± 6.6 years, predominantly female subjects (83.7%). The most prevalent pathologies were cardiac valvulopathy (81.0%), hypertension (68.3%) and ischemic cardiopathy (46.3%), 95.1% had a background of cardiac insufficiency, and 52.6% were in functional grade III. The mean digoxin level was 2.7 ± 0.69 ng/ml, 23.1% of the patients had a creatinine clearance of less than 60 ml/min/1.73 m 2 and 2.6% had a severely reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (clearance < 30 ml/min/1.73 m 2). A negative correlation was found between digoxin levels and clearance ( r = −0.22; p = 0.18) and between the levels and cardiac frequency ( r = −0.35; p = 0.026). Of the patients, 47.5% presented bradycardia and 87.8% arrhythmias, most frequently auricular fibrillation. The most frequent symptoms were nausea (54.8%), fatigue (42.9%), vomiting (33.3%) and anorexia (28.6%). We conclude that clinical digestive symptoms in elderly women who are taking digitalis, with bradycardia and impaired renal functioning, should lead us to suspect digitalis intoxication.

Depressive symptoms in elderly women with chronic conditions: Measurement issues

Objective: Depression is highly prevalent in elderly women with chronic conditions and measuring depressive symptoms is complicated by co-occurring chronic illnesses. The 20-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale is commonly used with elders, but its length may result in missing data. Twelve short four to 16 item CES-D forms exist, but their psychometric properties have not been systematically evaluated. Method: This study of 250 elderly women compared reliability and validity estimates for the 20-item CES-D and its 12 short forms; all scales used four response alternatives. The study also investigated whether women with varying numbers of chronic conditions would be similarly classified as depressed based on standardized cut scores. Results: Cronbach's alpha was 0.84 for the 20-item CES-D and alphas ranged from 0.53 to 0.83 for the short forms. Correlations between the 20-item CES-D and the short forms ranged from 0.77 to 0.96. Using the established 20-item CES-D cut score, 12% of the elderly women would be classified with clinically significant depressive symptoms. The shortest scales (four and five item) identified the greatest percentages of women as depressed while the 16-item scale identified the lowest. All 12 short forms showed a trend where more women were classified as depressed as their number of chronic conditions increased. Conclusion: The findings indicate a need for cautious interpretation of findings when shorter forms of the CES-D are used, particularly since shorter forms are less reliable and appear to over-identify women with chronic conditions as having clinically relevant depressive symptoms.

Características de personalidade e depressão em idosas da Universidade para a Terceira Idade (UNITI/UFRGS)

INTRODUÇÃO: Os aspectos de personalidade têm sido apontados como fatores que podem contribuir para o desenvolvimento de depressão na velhice. O objetivo deste estudo foi examinar a influência da personalidade no surgimento de sintomas depressivos em idosas. MÉTODO: O estudo teve um delineamento transversal, com a participação de 103 idosas, com idade entre 60 e 86 anos e escolaridade mínima de sete anos de estudo, integrantes da Universidade para a Terceira Idade (UNITI/UFRGS), e o processo de amostragem foi o de conveniência. Todas as participantes preencheram o Termo de Consentimento Livre e Esclarecido e responderam a respeito de informações sociodemográficas, fatores de personalidade (Inventário Fatorial de Personalidade - IFP) e depressão (Escala de Depressão Geriátrica - GDS). RESULTADOS: Observou-se a presença de dois grupos (clusters) com características distintas de personalidade: um mais preocupado com os outros (cluster 1) e outro mais voltado para si (cluster 2). Embora ambos os grupos não tenham preenchido os critérios para depressão, ocorreu uma diferença significativa no escore total da GDS, em que o grupo mais preocupado com os outros (cluster 1) apresentou maior intensidade de sintomatologia depressiva. CONCLUSÕES: O estudo aponta para uma associação entre dimensões de personalidade e depressão em idosas. As idosas agrupadas no cluster 1, que são mais voltadas para o outro, mais deferentes, organizadas, persistentes e interativas, apresentaram uma maior intensidade de sintomatologia depressiva em relação àquelas do cluster 2, que são mais voltadas para si próprias, menos interativas e pouco dominantes. Outros estudos são sugeridos.