Self-rated health as a moderator of the relation between functional impairment and depressive symptoms in older adults
- Authors:
- JAHN Danielle R., CUKROWICZ Kelly C.
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 16(3), April 2012, pp.281-287.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
A variety of risk factors have been linked to depression. The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between functional impairment, self-rated health, and depressive symptoms. Previous research has indicated that self-rated health and functional impairment each contribute to depressive symptoms. This study sought to determine if self-rated health moderates the relation between functional impairment and depressive symptoms in a sample of older adults. A community sample of 106 adults aged 60 and above was recruited from primary care clinics; 98 of these participants had usable data. The participants completed self-report questionnaires that assessed depressive symptoms, functional impairment, and self-rated physical health. The finding showed that self-rated health moderated the relation between functional impairment and depressive symptoms. For participants with poor self-rated health, greater functional impairment was associated with greater depressive symptoms. The paper concludes that patient perceptions of health may be protective against depressive symptoms for those with functional impairment.
- Subject terms:
- older people, physical illness, activities of daily living, depression;
- Content type:
- research
- Location(s):
- United States
- Link:
- Journal home page
- ISSN online:
- 1364-6915
- ISSN print:
- 1360-7863