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Association between participant-identified problems and depression severity in problem-solving therapy for low-income homebound older adults
- Author:
- CHOI Namkee G.
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 27(5), May 2012, pp.491-499.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This study examined the relationship between the severity of baseline depressive symptoms and the problems that low-income homebound older adults living in Texas (n = 66, mean age 65 years) identified during problem-solving therapy (PST). Depressive symptoms were measured with the 24-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD). Participant-identified problems recorded in the therapists' worksheets were recorded in seven categories of issues: living arrangement/housing, financial/health care expense, family or other relationship, hygiene/task issues, social isolation, physical/functional health, and mental/emotional health. The differences in HAMD scores between those who identified any problem in each category and those who did not were analysed. Participants who had living arrangement/housing and family or other relationship issues had higher baseline HAMD scores than the rest of the participants. At 2-week posttest, those with living arrangement/housing issues continued to have higher HAMD scores than the others, whereas those with family or other relationship issues did not. It was unclear whether family conflict or other relationship issues contributed to their depression or vice versa, but it did seem that PST may have contributed to alleviating depressive symptoms associated with these issues. Difficult living/housing situations appeared to have a depressive effect and could not be easily resolved within the short time frame of the PST process.
The relationship between social support and health status of elderly people: does social support slow down physical and functional deterioration?
- Authors:
- CHOI Namkee G., WODARSKI John S.
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work Research, 20(1), March 1996, pp.52-63.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Because the elderly population is increasing, both informal and formal support systems face an increasingly difficult task of providing eldercare. This article analyses a sample of elderly men and women in the United States of America to determine the elasticity of their informal social support systems in response to their declining health and the effects of such support on their health outcomes. Results indicate that the extent of informal support is more likely to be bound by the size of the social support network than by the demand for care associated with declining health. However, social support for elderly people tends to slow down further deterioration of their health, confirming the beneficial effect of social support on elderly people's health outcomes. Policy and practice implications are discussed.