Depression, Social Support, and Functional Abilities

Abstract

This longitudinal cohort study compared older adults, a group of whom were depressed at baseline and at a 3-month follow-up, and a group of whom were depressed at baseline, but not at 3 months. Patients participated as part of a larger study, which included 146 consecutive geriatric rehabilitation patients from the Detroit metropolitan area. Depressed patients, which included 47 elders (n = 30 females, n = 17 males) were selected from the larger sample and were rated on depression, instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), and perceived social support at baseline and at a 3-month follow-up. At baseline, Caucasian elders were significantly more depressed than Black elders, x² 0-,N=193) = 7.21. Additionally, at baseline, elders who were depressed reported significantly more decline in functional ability, t(190) = 3.04, p <0.01, and significantly lower levels of perceived social support, t(180) = 2.72, p <0.01, than their nondepressed counterparts. Those patients who remained depressed at 3 months had significantly more functional impairment, t(28) = 2.66, p <0.05, and reported lower levels of perceived social support, t(28) = 2.55, p <0.05, as well.

Key Words:

• Depression
• social support
• physical disability
• medical rehabilitation
• functional ability
• elders