BACKGROUND: This study examined the effects of religiosity on the trajectories of depressive symptoms in a sample of community-dwelling older adults over a four-year period in a Southern state in the U.S. METHODS: Data from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Study of Aging were analyzed using a hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) method. This study involved 1000 participants aged 65 and above (M age = 75 at baseline, SD = 5.97) and data were collected annually from 1999 to 2003. The Geriatric Depression Scale measured depressive symptoms; the Duke University Religion Index measured religious service attendance, prayer, and intrinsic religiosity; and control variables included sociodemographics, health, and social and economic factors. RESULTS: The HLM analysis indicated a curvilinear trajectory of depressive symptoms over time. At baseline, participants who attended religious services more frequently tended to report fewer depressive symptoms. Participants with the highest levels of intrinsic religiosity at baseline experienced a steady decline in the number of depressive symptoms over the four-year period, while those with lower levels of intrinsic religiosity experienced a short-term decline followed by an increase in the number of depressive symptoms. IMPLICATIONS: In addition to facilitating access to health, social support and financial resources for older adults, service professionals might consider culturally appropriate, patient-centered interventions that boost the salutary effects of intrinsic religiosity on depressive symptoms.
BACKGROUND: This study examined the effects of religiosity on the trajectories of depressive symptoms in a sample of community-dwelling older adults over a four-year period in a Southern state in the U.S. METHODS: Data from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Study of Aging were analyzed using a hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) method. This study involved 1000 participants aged 65 and above (M age = 75 at baseline, SD = 5.97) and data were collected annually from 1999 to 2003. The Geriatric Depression Scale measured depressive symptoms; the Duke University Religion Index measured religious service attendance, prayer, and intrinsic religiosity; and control variables included sociodemographics, health, and social and economic factors. RESULTS: The HLM analysis indicated a curvilinear trajectory of depressive symptoms over time. At baseline, participants who attended religious services more frequently tended to report fewer depressive symptoms. Participants with the highest levels of intrinsic religiosity at baseline experienced a steady decline in the number of depressive symptoms over the four-year period, while those with lower levels of intrinsic religiosity experienced a short-term decline followed by an increase in the number of depressive symptoms. IMPLICATIONS: In addition to facilitating access to health, social support and financial resources for older adults, service professionals might consider culturally appropriate, patient-centered interventions that boost the salutary effects of intrinsic religiosity on depressive symptoms.
Authors: George Fitchett; Patricia E Murphy; Jo Kim; James L Gibbons; Jacqueline R Cameron; Judy A Davis Journal: Int J Psychiatry Med Date: 2004 Impact factor: 1.210
Authors: Kimberly A Skarupski; George Fitchett; Denis A Evans; Carlos F Mendes de Leon Journal: Aging Ment Health Date: 2013-04-29 Impact factor: 3.658
Authors: Hélio José Coelho-Júnior; Riccardo Calvani; Francesco Panza; Riccardo F Allegri; Anna Picca; Emanuele Marzetti; Vicente Paulo Alves Journal: Front Med (Lausanne) Date: 2022-05-12
Authors: Jeremy P Cummings; Cody S Carson; Srijana Shrestha; Mark E Kunik; Maria E Armento; Melinda A Stanley; Amber B Amspoker Journal: Aging Ment Health Date: 2014-06-03 Impact factor: 3.658
Authors: Caitlin Worrall; Michelle I Jongenelis; Peter M McEvoy; Ben Jackson; Robert U Newton; Simone Pettigrew Journal: Front Public Health Date: 2020-11-12