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Community prevalence of alcohol use and concomitant use of medication - a source of possible risk in the elderly aged 75 and older?
- Authors:
- AIRA Marja, HARTIKAINEN Sirpa, SULKAVA Raimo
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 20(7), July 2005, pp.680-685.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This study explores alcohol use and concomitant use of prescription and over the counter (OTC) medicines in people aged 75 years or over. The study used a community-based randomized survey of home-dwelling older people in the City of Kuopio, Finland. A random sample of 700 persons aged 75 years or over was used, of whom 601 participated (86%). Only 523 home-dwellers were included in this study. Of the participants, 44% used alcohol. Most alcohol drinkers used medications on a regular basis (86.9%) or as needed (87.8%), among them medicines known to have some potential interactions with alcohol. Elevated mean corpuscular volume was more widespread among alcohol drinkers than non drinkers. The authors conclude theoretical risks posed by alcohol use are not minimal in the older elderly, though the quantity of alcohol use is not considerable. Physicians and nurses should pay attention to chronic diseases and medications when counselling aged people about alcohol consumption. The question of clinical importance of alcohol-medication interactions needs to be studied further.
Associations between loneliness, depressive symptoms and perceived togetherness in older people
- Authors:
- TIIKKAINEN P., HEIKKINEN R. L.
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 9(6), November 2005, pp.526-534.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This study explores the associations of loneliness with depressive symptoms in a five-year follow-up and describes how the six dimensions of perceived togetherness explain loneliness and depressive symptoms at baseline. The data were collected on 207 residents of Jyväskylä, central Finland, who at baseline in 1990 were aged 80; and 133 residents who at follow-up in 1995 were aged 85. Loneliness was assessed using a questionnaire item with four preset response options, perceived togetherness using the Social Provisions Scale, and depressive symptoms using the CES-D scale. A recursive structural equation model showed that in women but not in men, depressive symptoms predicted more experiences of loneliness. Those who were lonely were more depressed and experienced less togetherness than those who were not. Loneliness was explained by reliable alliance, social integration and attachment; and depressive symptoms were explained by guidance, reassurance of worth, reliable alliance and attachment. A common feature in both loneliness and depressive symptoms was a lower level of perceived emotional togetherness in social interaction.
Effects of a health advocacy, counselling, and activation programme on depressive symptoms in older coronary heart disease patients
- Author:
- SALMINEN Marika
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 20(6), June 2005, pp.552-558.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
In this randomised, controlled intervention study in Lieto, South-western Finland patients 65 years and older with coronary heart disease (CHD) were randomly divided into an intervention group (IG) of 116 who received a health advocacy, counselling and activation programme and a control group (CG) of 106 people. Outcome measures comprised changes in depressive symptoms (Zung Self-rating Depression Scale, ZSDS). Results found that depressive symptoms tended to decrease in IG and to increase in CG among men scoring 45 ZSDS sum points or more at baseline. The differences of the changes between IG and CG were significant in favour of IG. No similar changes were found among women. Concludes that a health advocacy, counselling, and activation programme to increase knowledge about CHD, social activities, contacts, roles, support, and exercising was effective in reducing depressive symptoms among male CHD patients suffering from a moderate or high amount of depressive symptoms.
Common experiences of staff working in integrated health and social care organisations: a European perspective
- Author:
- COXON Kirsite
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Integrated Care, 13(2), April 2005, pp.13-21.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Presents a comparison of the views of staff working in 18 integrated care settings, undertaken as part of the PROCARE study of integrated health and social care. The data reveals commonalities across the nine European countries (Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, UK, Denmark, Greece and the Netherlands). Increased job satisfaction was an advantage of integrated working, but respondents also reported difficulties in working with hospitals or medical professionals, and continued barriers to integrated working generally. Single standalone organisations such as home care teams reported the clearest benefits from integrated working, while cross-agency models continued to encounter significant barriers to health and social care integration.