Psychosocial Factors and Later Life Depressive Symptoms in a Greek Community Sample

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to study the role of a selected number of psychosocial factors (e.g., sex, age, educational level, and social support) in the depressive symptomatology of older adults. A sample of 333 community persons, aged 60 and more, were interviewed individually. Significant associations were found between depression and marital status, quality of relationship with children, and living with others. As expected, the more depressed older adults of our sample were significantly more often single, separated or divorced, widowed, without children and, above all, in a negative relationship with their children. The risk of depression was higher among older women than among older men; this may be explained by the fact that older women were significantly more often widowed and lived alone, compared with men. Furthermore, the results indicated that the lower an older adult's educational level, frequency of received visits and deteriorating health condition, the more depressed he or she was. These three variables were significant predictors of group membership (depressed versus nondepressed), and correctly classified approximately 70% of the subjects.

KEYWORDS:

• Psychosocial factors
• depressive symptoms
• elderly

Additional information

Notes on contributors

George Kleftaras

Jennifer R. Johnson was a graduate student in the School of Occupational Therapy, Texas Woman's University, Houston, TX at the time of this study. She is currently employed as an Occupational Therapist at Touro Infirmary in New Orleans, LA

Debra Stewart is Lecturer, School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University and staff therapist at Erinoak Centre, Missis-sauga, Ontario. She is currently completing a MSc (Design, Measurement and Evaluation) at McMaster University.

Ronald L. Mace (deceased, June 29, 1998) was also affiliated with The Center for Universal Design, School of Design, North Carolina University.

Lois Rosage and Geraldine Shaw are Occupational Therapist Consultants who provide evaluations for the housing programs at the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging.

Debbie Rand is Occupational Therapist, Beit Rivka Geriatric Rehabilitation Hospital, Petach Tikva, Israel. She completed this study in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy, School of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Her mailing address is 50 Heh B'Eyar Street, Apartment 5, Rosh Ha'Ayin, Israel, 48056.

Maureen McKenna is a Licensed Physical Therapist and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California. Her Current position is: Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy, Wheeling Jesuit University, 316 Washington Avenue, Wheeling, WV 26003.

Heather Lambert was funded in part by a Health Canada NHRDP Fellowship, a REPAR Fellowship, a doctoral bursary from the Fonds de la Recherche en Santé du Quebec, and a Canadian Occupational Therapy Foundation-Royal Canadian Legion Fellowship in Gerontology.

Trish Wielandt was supported by a University of Queensland Postgraduate Research Scholarship (UQPRS).

Dr. Leigh Tooth was supported by a NHMRC Fellowship (#997032) while some of this research was undertaken.

J. D. “Herb” Herbert is Occupational Therapist, Rocky Mountain Menders LLC, 363 Pioneer Road, Lyons, CO 80540. At the time of this study, he was a graduate student, Department of Occupational Therapy, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.