Ching Hwa Hsu1, Heng-Hsin Tung2, Daniel L Clinciu3,4, Liang-Kung Chen5, Wei-Hsian Yin1, Usman Iqbal6, Tsae-Jyy Wang2. 1. Division of Cardiology, Heart Center, Cheng Hsin General Hospital, No. 45, Cheng Hsin St. Pei-Tou, Taipei 11217, Taiwan. 2. National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Science, 365 Ming Te Road, PeiTou, Taipei 112, Taiwan. 3. National Chi Nan University, Puli, Taiwan. 4. Graduate Institute of Biomedical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. 5. Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Sec. 2, Shi-Pai Road, Taipei 11217, Taiwan. 6. College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the associations between frailty, physical activity and depression in community-dwelling geriatric women. DESIGN: A cross-sectional research design. SETTING: Community geriatric women in Illan County, Taiwan. STUDY PARTICIPANTS: Of note 216 participants, 65 years and older with full mobility, independent and able to communicate in Mandarin or Taiwanese Hokkien. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: An average weekly physical activity score International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and Taiwan Geriatric Depression Scale. Classification and regression tree (CART) analysis was used to perform decision analysis. RESULTS: The average IPAQ-SF score for the 216 participants was 9109.52. When an IPAQ-SF score of 4452 or below was obtained by participants, 38% of them encountered depression-like syndromes, regardless of their frailty status. Diabetes, high risk of metabolic syndrome and lower education were the risk factors found to cause depression among participants with low physical activity levels. CONCLUSIONS: As women have a longer life expectancy and experience twice the rates of depression of men particularly after menopause, healthcare providers should emphasize exercise and lifestyle changes in order to improve the quality of health in geriatric women.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the associations between frailty, physical activity and depression in community-dwelling geriatric women. DESIGN: A cross-sectional research design. SETTING: Community geriatric women in Illan County, Taiwan. STUDY PARTICIPANTS: Of note 216 participants, 65 years and older with full mobility, independent and able to communicate in Mandarin or Taiwanese Hokkien. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: An average weekly physical activity score International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and Taiwan Geriatric Depression Scale. Classification and regression tree (CART) analysis was used to perform decision analysis. RESULTS: The average IPAQ-SF score for the 216 participants was 9109.52. When an IPAQ-SF score of 4452 or below was obtained by participants, 38% of them encountered depression-like syndromes, regardless of their frailty status. Diabetes, high risk of metabolic syndrome and lower education were the risk factors found to cause depression among participants with low physical activity levels. CONCLUSIONS: As women have a longer life expectancy and experience twice the rates of depression of men particularly after menopause, healthcare providers should emphasize exercise and lifestyle changes in order to improve the quality of health in geriatric women.