Effect of Spousal Loss on Depression in Older Adults: Impacts of Time Passing, Living Arrangement, and Spouse's Health Status before Death

doi:10.3390/ijerph182413032

中山醫學大學機構典藏 CSMUIR > 中山醫學大學研究成果 > 期刊論文 > Item 310902500/23900

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://ir.csmu.edu.tw:8080/ir/handle/310902500/23900

Title:	Effect of Spousal Loss on Depression in Older Adults: Impacts of Time Passing, Living Arrangement, and Spouse's Health Status before Death
Authors:	Hung, YC;Chen, YH;Lee, MC;Yeh, CJ
Keywords:	spousal death;depression;older adults
Date:	2021
Issue Date:	2022-08-05T09:44:40Z (UTC)
Publisher:	MDPI
Abstract:	In addition to increasing the mortality among older adults, spousal death (SD) increases their risk of depression. This study explored the factors affecting depression among widowed older adults to provide health care strategies for successful aging. A total of 710 adults older than 60 years completed a questionnaire before and after their spouses' deaths. The survey data included age, sex, ethnic group, education level, financial station socioeconomic status, SD (including time point), smoking status, alcohol consumption, self-rated health status, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale score, mobility, and degree of support from relatives and friends. The proportion of participants with depression after SD was 1.7 times that of before SD (p < 0.0001). Worsened mobility (odds ratio [OR] = 1.3, p < 0.01), low self-rated health status (OR = 0.5, p < 0.01), and a high degree of support from relatives and friends (OR = 1.5, p < 0.01) had a significant positive correlation with depression after SD. The proportion of depression that occurred within 6 months after SD was 6.0 times higher than that of depression before SD. Participants who lived alone after losing their spouses who were healthy before their deaths exhibited a significantly increased proportion of depression after their spouses' deaths. Male sex, spouse's health, and the period of 6 months after SD are risk factors for depression in older adults. The maintenance of mobility, positive self-rated health status, and a shorter period of depression after a spouse's death result in more favorable adaptability among women. Social workers or family members should focus on older adults whose spouses died unexpectedly or within the last 6 months. Living with family members after SD can alleviate depression in older adults.
URI:	http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182413032 https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:000738676200001 https://ir.csmu.edu.tw:8080/handle/310902500/23900
Relation:	INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH ,2021,v18,issue 24
Appears in Collections:	[中山醫學大學研究成果] 期刊論文

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