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Comparative performance of long and short forms of the Geriatric Depression Scale in mildly demented Chinese
- Authors:
- CHENG Sheung-Tak, CHAN Alfred C.M.
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 20(12), December 2005, pp.1131-1137.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This study aims to investigate if a brief version (four items) of the Geriatric Depression Scale works equally well with mildly demented as with nondemented patients in young-old and old-old persons, and to compare its diagnostic performances with those of the 15- and the 30-item version of the scale. Four hundred and forty-two older persons were given a GDS interview and received an independent psychiatric evaluation. Receiver operating characteristic curves were separately plotted for the young-old demented, old-old demented, young-old nondemented, and old-old nondemented. The four-item version yielded comparable performance to the 15- and the 30-item version of the GDS, regardless of age and dementia status. It is reasonably robust to the effects of age and mild dementia, whether alone or in combination. Nonetheless, among the old-old demented, only a third of those tested positive were actually positive, but this problem was not specific to the four-item version.
Prevalence of depression among elderly Chinese with diabetes
- Author:
- CHOU Kee-Lee
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 20(6), June 2005, pp.570-575.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This study aimed to examine the association between diabetes and depression among older Chinese and to determine the extent to which depression is mediated by physical disability and diabetes-related comorbid conditions. The study used a cross-sectional analysis of data from a population-based study composed of a representative sample of 2003 non-institutionalized older adults aged 60 and older living in Hong Kong who agreed to participate in the study. The relation between diabetes and depression (measured with the Geriatric Depression Scale) was examined. Results found 12 percent of the older adults reported physician-diagnosed diabetes and amongst these older persons with diabetes, 26 precent of them reported elated level of depressive symptoms. Logistic regression analyses revealed that diabetes was significantly related to depression even when controlling for age, gender, marital status, and education. More importantly, adjusted for self-reported disability in three domains including self-care, mobility, and higher functioning did not attenuate this association but the association disappeared after adjustment for four diabetes-related complications including heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and vision problems had been made.
Assessing tradition in Chinese elders living in a changing social environment: implications for social work practice
- Authors:
- MJELDE-MOSSEY Lee, CHI Iris, LOU Vivian W.Q.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 11(3/4), 2005, pp.41-57.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Social workers are increasingly challenged to provide culturally sensitive services to older immigrants from diverse backgrounds. Assessment tools developed in the elder's own cultural context can maximize appropriate assessment and planning. This article describes the development of a tool for measuring adherence to tradition in Chinese elders. In Chinese tradition, an elder's purpose, meaning, and self-worth are derived, in large part, from their contribution to family, relatives, and the community. Existing measures of filial piety and acculturation do not capture this dimension. Filial piety involves being on the receiving end of care, honour, and obedience from younger generations. Acculturation is the opposite of adherence to tradition. One thousand five-hundred and two Chinese elders in China were asked questions on mutual aid and intergenerational exchange. Factor analysis extracted nine items loading into two factors reflective of traditional exchange. The authors conclude that this measure could prove useful in understanding the effect of traditional beliefs upon various psychosocial outcomes. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580).
Housing for Chinese elders in Middlesbrough: case study for the Housing Learning and Improvement Network
- Author:
- STEPHENSON Deborah
- Journal article citation:
- Housing Care and Support, 8(3), September 2005, pp.12-16.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
This case study provides an example of a local communtiy development partnership between a housing association and a Chinese community association, involving housing for older people, a community centre and retail/business space. The aim of the study was to provide attractive and sustainable housing for Chinese older people, as part of a mini-Chinatown in the town centre.
The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale in older Chinese: thresholds for long and short forms
- Authors:
- CHENG Sheung-Tak, CHAN Alfred C. M.
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 20(5), May 2005, pp.465-470.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
No study has examined the diagnostic validity of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) in the Chinese elderly. This study aims to determine appropriate cutoffs for the 20- (CESD-20) as well as a ten-item (CESD-10) version of the instrument. Data were also provided, based on simulated scoring, for the diagnostic performance of the scales when using dichotomous instead of 4-point rating scales. Three hundred and ninety eight persons aged 60 +referred for psychiatric asssessment by a physician were administered the CES-D as well as given an independent psychiatric assessment. A spectrum of depression diagnosis as the criterion was used to assess the diagnostic validity of the CES-D. The ten and the 20-item version of the CES-D, regardless of scoring method, produced essentially identical performance indices. The optimal thresholds were 12 and 22 for CESD-10 and CESD-20 respectively, and based on these thresholds, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 0.76, 0.55, 0.57 and 0.74 for CESD-10, and 0.75, 0.51, 0.55 and 0.72 for CESD-20. With both ends of the rating scale collapsed to create dichotomous items, the optimal thresholds became 4 for CESD-10 and 7 for CESD-20, and the correponding performance indices were 0.67, 0.58, 0.56 and 0.69 for CESD-10, and 0.70, 0.58, 0.57 and 0.70 for CESD-20. The ten-item version can be used in lieu of the 20-item version, and a dichotomous response format would probably work as well as the original four-point format, in order to simplify administration for elderly persons
Comparison of the prevalence and risk factors for depressive symptoms among elderly nursing home residents in Taiwan and Hong Kong
- Authors:
- TSAI Yung-Fang, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 20(4), April 2005, pp.315-321.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Depression in the elderly has become a serious health care issue worldwide. However, no studies have compared the prevalence and risk factors for depressive symptoms among institutionalized Chinese elders living in different regions. The aim was to explore and compare the prevalence and risk factors for depressive symptoms among elderly residents of nursing homes in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Random sampling was used to recruit participants from eight nursing homes in each region. A total of 150 elders from Taiwan and 214 elders from Hong Kong participated. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was significantly higher in participants from Hong Kong (65.4%) than in Taiwan (43.3%). Logistic regression analysis indicated that gender, satisfaction with living situation, perceived health condition, and perceived income adequacy significantly predicted depressive symptoms in elderly nursing home residents in Taiwan. Significant predictors of depressive symptoms in the Hong Kong sample were satisfaction with living situation, cognitive status, and functional status. It is important to consider risk factors specific to a target population when developing depression intervention programmes.
Assessing Chinese older adults' suicidal ideation: Chinese version of the Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale
- Authors:
- CHOU K.-L., JUN L. W., CHI I.
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 9(2), March 2005, pp.167-171.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale (GSIS-C) were investigated in a sample of 154 Hong Kong Chinese older adults. The internal consistency, test-retest reliability, face validity, convergent and divergent validities of the GSIS-C were assessed and all of them were well above acceptable levels. The GSIS-C demonstrated excellent internal consistency including the four subscales and the test-retest reliability of the GSIS-C was also good. In terms of convergent validity, the GSIS-C correlated significantly and positively with depression (assessed by CES-D), loneliness (assessed by Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale), and hopelessness (assessed by Beck ‘Hop'elessness Scale). The divergent validity of the GSIS-C was demonstrated by the negative but significant, association between the GSIS-C and two variables including self-rated health status and life satisfaction (assessed by Life Satisfaction Inventory—Version A).
Everyday competence and depressive symptoms: social support and sense of control as mediators or moderators?
- Author:
- CHOU K.-L.
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 9(2), March 2005, pp.177-183.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Depression is common among the elderly members of Hong Kong Chinese society. The objectives of the present study are to assess the relationship between everyday competence and depressive symptoms and to test whether sense of control and social support mediate and moderate the impact of deterioration in everyday competence on depressive symptoms. The respondents were 393 people aged 60 years and older from a cross-sectional study of a representative community sample of the elderly population in Hong Kong and they were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. In multiple regression analyses, we found that everyday competence was significantly and negatively related to depressive symptoms (ß?=?-0.26, p?<?0.01) after we had adjusted age, gender, marital status, years of education, self-rated health status, and number of chronic illnesses. Moreover, both sense of control and social support were mediators in the linkage between everyday competence and depression. However, neither sense of control nor social support moderated the effect of everyday competence on depression. Findings suggest that both sense of control and social support play important roles in the relationship between everyday competence and depression.
The psychological well-being of the Chinese elderly living in old urban areas of Hong Kong: a social perspective
- Authors:
- LAM C. W., BOEY K. W.
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 9(2), March 2005, pp.162-166.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Using the Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15) and the short form of the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), this study found that the Chinese elderly who live in old urban areas of Hong Kong are at risk of suffering from poor mental health because of their relatively deprived social conditions. It was also found that the respondent's scores in the GDS-15 correlated with their social conditions, including type of housing, availability of helpers, financial status and family support. However, Chinese elderly people often avoid seeking help because of the fear of being stigmatised. There is a need for more research in the future to study their needs and problems so that social work practitioners can be well informed and culturally competent to help this disadvantaged group.
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- Author:
- MILLER Alison
- Journal article citation:
- Community Care, 24.03.05, 2005, p.41.
- Publisher:
- Reed Business Information
Reports on a project in Edinburgh which has successfully engaged older people from ethnic minorities. The Access Initiative is run by the Minority Ethnic Carers of Older People Project in partnership with Edinburgh Council; West Lothian Council; and minority ethnic carers and older people. It aims to give carers from Edinburgh's south Asian and Chinese communities a break from caring and to provide culturally competent services for older members of the family who need care. The service was winner of the Carers category of the Community Care Awards 2004.