雲嘉地區社區老年榮民憂鬱症狀與自覺健康情形關係之研究

Relationship Between Depressive Symptoms and Health status for Community-Dwelling Elderly Veterans in the Yunlin-Chiayi Area

背景：老人憂鬱與老人身心健康及其生活品質息息相關，隨著老年人口的日益增加，老人憂鬱是老化社會中重要的健康議題之一。有別於其他的老人族群，台灣的老年榮民因其時代、社會的變遷而成為特殊的弱勢群體。目前國內與老人憂鬱相關的研究不在少數，然針對老年榮民憂鬱症狀之研究多限於機構榮民，而散居於社區之老年榮民憂鬱症狀的相關調查則付之闕如。 目的：本研究之目的為了解雲嘉地區之社區老年榮民憂鬱症狀憂與自覺健康情形之關係。
方法：為橫斷式相關性之研究設計。研究對象以方便取樣選取雲林縣及嘉義縣(市) 578位居住於社區中、65歲以上之榮民。研究工具為結構式問卷，包含個人基本資料、自覺健康量表、簡易老人憂鬱量表(Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form; GDS-S)。
結果：研究結果顯示(1)雲嘉地區社區老年榮民平均年齡為81.73歲±5.19歲；自覺健康量表平均得分為5.75±1.59分，屬自覺健康較差程度(總分為9分，分數愈高代表自覺健康狀況愈差)；有憂鬱症狀者占34.9%。(2)獨居、學歷為高中以下(不識字、小學、國中)、自覺經濟狀況較差、慢性疾病數目多、自覺健康情形較差者，有較高憂鬱症狀。(3)自覺經濟狀況(OR:1.87; 95% CI:1.18-2.94)、慢性疾病數目(OR:1.39; 95% CI:1.03-1.87)與自覺健康情形(OR:1.42; 95% CI:1.24-1.62)為社區老年榮民憂鬱症狀之相關因素。
結論：本研究發現，社區老年榮民有較高的憂鬱症狀，且其自覺經濟狀況較差、慢性疾病數目較多以及自覺健康情形較差為其憂鬱症狀之相關因素。研究結果可做為社區榮民照護政策及雲嘉地區長期照護計畫發展之參考。

Background : Like many developed countries, the elderly population in Taiwan, will increase rapidly in the future decade. Elderly depression has been reported to be a serious problem in counties with large elderly population. Elderly veterans are a special group in Taiwan. Although, past researches had investigated the depression of elderly veterans in Taiwan, there was no data to show the related factors for depressive symptoms among community-dwelling elderly veterans in the Yunlin-Chiayi Area.
Purpose : The aim of this study was to identify the relationship between depressive symptoms and health status for community-dwelling elderly veterans in the Yunlin-Chiayi area.
Methods : This study adopted a cross-sectional correlation research design. A total of 578 participants were recruited from the community-dwelling elderly veterans in Yunlin-Chiayi area using convenient sampling. The data were collected by structured questionnaires including demographics, perceived health status, and Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form (GDS-S).
Results : The average age of the participants was 81.73±5.19 and the average score of perceived health status was 5.75±1.59 (total is 9=worst). The depressive symptoms among the participants was 34.9%. The living alone, lower education level, lower economic status, morecomorbidity, and poor perceived health status were significantly related to the presence of depressive symptoms. Moreover, the results of logistic regression analysis revealed that the participants who perceived low economic status (OR:1.87; 95%CI:1.18-2.94), with more than one medical illness (OR:1.39; 95%CI:1.03-1.87), and perceived poor health status (OR:1.42; 95%CI:1.24-1.62) were more likely to have depressive symptoms.
Conclusion : The study showed the depressive symptoms are prevalent among the community-dwelling elderly veterans. Lower perceived economic status, more comorbidity, and poor perceived health status were associated with the presence of depressive symptoms. This finding can be used as a reference to develop effective intervention and health policies that provide long-term care and elderly depression preventions in Yunlin-Chiayi area.