İbrahim Taymur1, Kadir Özdel2, Cenk Aypak3, Veli Duyan4, Özlem Türedi3, Buket Belkız Güngör1, Yavuz Selvi5. 1. Clinic of Psychiatry, Şevket Yılmaz Training and Research Hospital, Bursa, Turkey. 2. Clinic of Psychiatry, Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. 3. Clinic of Family Practice, Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. 4. Ankara University Scholl of Health Sciences, Social Service Specialist, Ankara, Turkey. 5. Department of Psychiatry, Selçuk University School of Medicine, Konya, Turkey.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: We aimed to determine the level of bereavement and depression symptoms among elderly patients who experience the loss of a significant other and the relationship between depressive symptoms and bereavement symptoms. METHODS: The study sample consisted of elderly adults who lost a significant other at least 6 months prior to the submission time. Participants were recruited from patients who presented to either the psychiatry or family medicine outpatient unit of a Training and Research Hospital. Cognitive functions were assessed using Standardized Mini Mental Examinations for Educated and Uneducated People (SMME/SMME-U). Participants were excluded from the study if their SMME or SMME-U scores were lower than 23 points. To assess the severity of depressive and bereavement symptoms, the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and Core Bereavement Items (CBI) scales were used, respectively. RESULTS: Overall, 33 out of 67 individuals (49.2%) who presented to the psychiatry unit and 7 out of the 43 individuals (16.3%) who presented to the family medicine unit were diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). CBI scale score means were higher in the MDD groups than in the non-depressive groups (p=0.012 and p=0.001, respectively). CBI scores were significantly correlated to acute (p=0.047) and chronic stress (p=0.007) in the psychiatry group and to chronic stress in the family medicine group (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Probing loss experiences and reactions to them can be important to understand depression, to evaluate its symptoms, and to help manage the relevant symptoms. Considering the significant contributions of bereavement to depressive symptom severity in elders, interventions specific to bereavement symptoms should not be ignored.
INTRODUCTION: We aimed to determine the level of bereavement and depression symptoms among elderly patients who experience the loss of a significant other and the relationship between depressive symptoms and bereavement symptoms. METHODS: The study sample consisted of elderly adults who lost a significant other at least 6 months prior to the submission time. Participants were recruited from patients who presented to either the psychiatry or family medicine outpatient unit of a Training and Research Hospital. Cognitive functions were assessed using Standardized Mini Mental Examinations for Educated and Uneducated People (SMME/SMME-U). Participants were excluded from the study if their SMME or SMME-U scores were lower than 23 points. To assess the severity of depressive and bereavement symptoms, the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and Core Bereavement Items (CBI) scales were used, respectively. RESULTS: Overall, 33 out of 67 individuals (49.2%) who presented to the psychiatry unit and 7 out of the 43 individuals (16.3%) who presented to the family medicine unit were diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). CBI scale score means were higher in the MDD groups than in the non-depressive groups (p=0.012 and p=0.001, respectively). CBI scores were significantly correlated to acute (p=0.047) and chronic stress (p=0.007) in the psychiatry group and to chronic stress in the family medicine group (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Probing loss experiences and reactions to them can be important to understand depression, to evaluate its symptoms, and to help manage the relevant symptoms. Considering the significant contributions of bereavement to depressive symptom severity in elders, interventions specific to bereavement symptoms should not be ignored.
Authors: D C Steffens; I Skoog; M C Norton; A D Hart; J T Tschanz; B L Plassman; B W Wyse; K A Welsh-Bohmer; J C Breitner Journal: Arch Gen Psychiatry Date: 2000-06
Authors: Naomi M Simon; Katherine M Shear; Elizabeth H Thompson; Alyson K Zalta; Carol Perlman; Charles F Reynolds; Ellen Frank; Nadine M Melhem; Russell Silowash Journal: Compr Psychiatry Date: 2007-07-05 Impact factor: 3.735