scholarly journals The Transition From Spousal Caregiver to Widowhood: Quantitative Findings of a Mixed-Methods Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 527-541
Author(s):  
Carla J. Groh ◽  
Mitzi M. Saunders

BACKGROUND: The number of persons diagnosed with dementia is projected to triple to 14 million by 2050. The significance of these projections is particularly relevant to older women (>65 years), who are more likely to provide dementia caregiving for a husband than vice versa. Research has identified consistent themes around the impact of caregiving during the caregiving experience, yet there is limited research exploring the ongoing impact during the transition to widowhood. Moreover, there is a paucity of research examining differences between rural and urban spousal dementia caregivers. AIMS: The aims were to compare differences between older rural and urban spousal caregivers on physical and mental health factors affecting the transition from caregiver to widow and to identify resources the women used during this transition over 12 months. METHOD: This mixed-methods longitudinal study recruited 13 urban and nine rural female spousal caregivers. Participants were interviewed three times over 12 months. The dependent variables were depression (measured using Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale), physical and mental functioning (measured using the 12-item Medical Outcomes Study–Short Form Health Survey Version 2). RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were detected between rural and urban female caregivers on the dependent variables. However, rural caregivers scored higher on depression and lower on both physical and mental functioning compared to their urban counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: The findings have clinical and research implications. Psychiatric nurses are well positioned to provide education related to dementia information deficits; implement interventions that facilitate bereavement, resilience, self-care, and identity; advocate for additional services; and conduct larger scale studies with a more diverse sample of female spousal caregivers.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiaxi Peng ◽  
Jiaxi Zhang ◽  
Kangwei Zhao ◽  
Xin Wang ◽  
Yi Wu ◽  
...  

In this study, we discuss the effects of attachment on depression and the mediating roles of self-esteem and rumination in Chinese seniors. We assessed 431 using the Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Ruminative Responses Scale, and the Short Form of Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Both attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance significantly predicted depression in seniors. Attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance positively predicted rumination but negatively predicted self-esteem. Structural equation models showed that rumination and self-esteem fully mediated the effects of attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance on depression. The attachment of seniors is related to depression, and self-esteem and rumination have chain mediating effects between attachment and depression.


2003 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer R. Powers ◽  
Anne F. Young ◽  
Anne Russell ◽  
Nancy A. Pachana

The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is frequently used in epidemiological surveys to screen for depression, especially among older adults. This article addresses the problem of non-completion of a short form of the CES-D (CESD-10) in a mailed survey of 73- to 78-year-old women enrolled in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Completers of the CESD-10 had more education, found it easier to manage on available income and reported better physical and mental health. The Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) scores for non-completers were intermediate between those for women classified as depressed and not depressed using the CESD-10. Indicators of depression had an inverted U-shaped relationship with the number of missing CESD-10 items and were most frequent for women with two to seven items missing. Future research should pay particular attention to the level of missing data in depression scales and report its potential impact on estimates of depression.


2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew P. Martens ◽  
Jerry C. Parker ◽  
Karen L. Smarr ◽  
James E. James E. Hewett ◽  
Bin Ge ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
pp. e242-e253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linh Dang ◽  
Liming Dong ◽  
Briana Mezuk

Abstract Background and Objectives Psychiatric research lacks the equivalent of a thermometer, that is, a tool that accurately measures mental disorder regardless of context. Instead, the psychometric properties of scales that purport to assess psychopathology must be continuously evaluated. To that end, this study evaluated the diagnostic agreement between the eight-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-8) and the Composite International Diagnostic Interview—short form (CIDI-SF) in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Research Design and Methods Data come from 17,613 respondents aged >50 from the 2014 wave of the HRS. Kappa coefficients were used to assess the agreement between the 2 instruments on depression classification across a range of thresholds for identifying case status, including variation across subgroups defined by age, race/ethnicity, and gender. Results The point prevalence of depression syndrome estimated by the CESD was higher than that estimated by the CIDI-SF (CESD: 9.9%–19.5% depending on the cutoff applied to the CESD vs CIDI-SF: 7.7%). Assuming CIDI-SF as the gold standard, the CESD yielded a sensitivity of 56.2%–70.2% and specificity of 84.7%–94.0% across the range of cutoffs. The agreement on depression classification was weak (κ = 0.32–0.44). Discussion and Implications Depression cases identified by the CESD have poor agreement with those identified by the CIDI-SF. Conceptually, psychological distress as measured by the CESD is not interchangeable with depression syndrome as measured by the CIDI-SF. Population estimates of depression among older adults based on the CESD should be interpreted with caution.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 115-123
Author(s):  
Jonas Osmann ◽  
Abdul Mujeeb Khalvatgar ◽  
Anthony Feinstein

Purpose Afghanistan is one of the world’s most dangerous places for journalists. There are, however, no data on the mental health of Afghan journalists covering conflict in their country. The study aims to determine the degree to which Afghan journalists are exposed to traumatic events, their perceptions of organizational support, their rates of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, their utilization of mental health services and the effectiveness of the treatment received. Design/methodology/approach The entire study was undertaken in Dari (Farsi). Five major Afghan news organizations representing 104 journalists took part of whom 71 (68%) completed a simple eleven-point analog scale rating perceptions of organizational support. Symptoms of PTSD and depression were recorded with the Impact of Event Scale – Revised (IES-R) and the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), respectively. Behavioral comparisons were undertaken between those journalists who had and had not received mental health therapy. Findings The majority of journalists exceeded cutoff scores for PTSD and major depression and reported high rates for exposure to traumatic events. There were no significant differences in IES-R and CES-D scores between journalists who had and had not received mental health therapy. Most journalists did not view their employers as supportive. Originality/value To the best of authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to collect empirical data on the mental health of Afghan journalists. The results highlight the extreme stressors confronted by them, their correspondingly high levels of psychopathology and the relative ineffectiveness of mental health therapy given to a minority of those in distress. The implications of these findings are discussed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S721-S721
Author(s):  
E. Ben Zina ◽  
M.W. Krir ◽  
H. Bel Hadj ◽  
A. Tajmout ◽  
C. Ben Cheikh ◽  
...  

IntroductionPatients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) presents often with several concomitant physical and mental health problems. Recent evidence suggests that pain is one of the most commonly reported symptoms in patients with PTSD, regardless of the nature of their traumatic experience.Aim of the studyTo evaluate chronic pain in patients with PTSD in a Tunisian military sample.MethodsTransversal descriptive study of a sample of 22 patients treated for PTSD in the Principal Military Hospital of Instruction of Tunis during the period between August and October 2016.The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HAD), and the Brief Pain Inventory Short Form (BPI-SF) were administered for patients.ResultsAll the patients of the study were male. The mean age of the sample was 29.6 years. Fifty percent presented with a co-morbid major depression and 59.1% with chronic pain symptoms. Locations of chronic pain were as follow: limb pain (69.23%), back pain (38.46%), headache (30.76%) and torso pain (7.69%). Sequelae from combat-related trauma were present in 31.8% of cases.ConclusionThe results of this study illustrate a high rate of chronic pain symptoms among PTSD patients. This suggests that closer attention should be given to the interaction of medical problems, especially pain, with PTSD symptomatology in clinical management and in future research.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (7) ◽  
pp. 1194-1202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steffany Haaz Moonaz ◽  
Clifton O. Bingham ◽  
Lawrence Wissow ◽  
Susan J. Bartlett

Objective.To evaluate the effect of Integral-based hatha yoga in sedentary people with arthritis.Methods.There were 75 sedentary adults aged 18+ years with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or knee osteoarthritis randomly assigned to 8 weeks of yoga (two 60-min classes and 1 home practice/wk) or waitlist. Poses were modified for individual needs. The primary endpoint was physical health [Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36) physical component summary (PCS)] adjusted for baseline; exploratory adjusted outcomes included fitness, mood, stress, self-efficacy, SF-36 health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and RA disease activity. In everyone completing yoga, we explored longterm effects at 9 months.Results.Participants were mostly female (96%), white (55%), and college-educated (51%), with a mean (SD) age of 52 years (12 yrs). Average disease duration was 9 years and 49% had RA. At 8 weeks, yoga was associated with significantly higher PCS (6.5, 95% CI 2.0–10.7), walking capacity (125 m, 95% CI 15–235), positive affect (5.2, 95% CI 1.4–8.9), and lower Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (−3.0, 95% CI −4.8 – −1.3). Significant improvements (p < 0.05) were evident in SF-36 role physical, pain, general health, vitality, and mental health scales. Balance, grip strength, and flexibility were similar between groups. Twenty-two out of 28 in the waitlist group completed yoga. Among all yoga participants, significant (p < 0.05) improvements were observed in mean PCS, flexibility, 6-min walk, and all psychological and most HRQOL domains at 8 weeks with most still evident 9 months later. Of 7 adverse events, none were associated with yoga.Conclusion.Preliminary evidence suggests yoga may help sedentary individuals with arthritis safely increase physical activity, and improve physical and psychological health and HRQOL. Clinical Trials NCT00349869.


Healthcare ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 128
Author(s):  
Gemma Biviá-Roig ◽  
Pau Soldevila-Matías ◽  
Gonzalo Haro ◽  
Victor González-Ayuso ◽  
Francisco Arnau ◽  
...  

The movement restrictions put in place as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic required modification of the population’s usual routines, including those of the most vulnerable groups such as patients with schizophrenia. This was a retrospective observational study. We used an online survey to collect information on patient adherence to the Mediterranean diet (Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener questionnaire), physical exercise (International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form), and tobacco consumption and levels of anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) before and during the movement restrictions. A total of 102 people with schizophrenia participated in this study. During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown the participants significantly increased the number of minutes spent sitting per day (z = −6.73; p < 0.001), decreased the time they spent walking (z = −6.32; p < 0.001), and increased their tobacco consumption (X2 = 156.90; p < 0.001). These results were also accompanied by a significant increase in their reported levels of anxiety (z = −7.45; p < 0.001) and depression (z = −7.03, p < 0.001). No significant differences in patient diets during the pandemic compared to before the movement restrictions were reported. These results suggest the need to implement specific programs to improve lifestyle and reduce anxiety and depression during possible future pandemic situations.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olanrewaju Ibikunle Ibigbami ◽  
Olakunle Ayokunmi Oginni ◽  
Ibidunni Olapeju Oloniniyi ◽  
Victor Ugo ◽  
Matthew Ebuka ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Psychosocial factors including stress are determinants of wellbeing. However, there is a shortage of information about how these relationships were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic among adults in Nigeria.Objectives: To determine the associations between wellbeing, and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, psychological distress (anxiety and depression), and perceived social support among adults in Nigeria during the first wave of the pandemic.Methods: Wellbeing (assessed using the WHO Wellbeing Index) was the outcome variable while the explanatory variables included anxiety and depressive symptoms (assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), perceived social support (assessed using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support) and perceived impact of the pandemic (assessed using perceived disruptions of life-domains). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess the associations between the outcome and explanatory variables. The models were adjusted for sociodemographic profile (highest level of education, employment status and payment status).Results: Low self-perceived impact of the pandemic was significantly associated with higher odds of high wellbeing (AOR: 2.59; 95% CI: 1.69-3.95; p<0.001). Other factors associated with significantly higher odds of high wellbeing were high perceived social support (AOR: 2.40; 95% CI:1.78-3.22; p<0.001) and having tertiary education (AOR: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.07-2.13; p=0.020). In contrast, experiencing anxiety symptoms were significantly associated with lower odds of high wellbeing (AOR: 0.24; 95% CI: 0.14-0.41; p<0.001)).Conclusions: Measures for enhancing the wellbeing of adults resident in Nigeria may include strategies to ameliorate the impact of the pandemic, strengthening social support systems, and promoting optimal physical and mental health.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ching-Fu Weng ◽  
Kun-Pei Lin ◽  
Feng-Ping Lu ◽  
Jen-Hau Chen ◽  
Chiung-Jung Wen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The three geriatric conditions, depression, dementia and delirium (3D’s), are common among hospitalized older patients and often lead to impairments of activities of daily living. The aim of this study is to explore the impact of depression, dementia and delirium on activities of daily living (ADLs) during and after hospitalization. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted between 2012 and 2013 in a tertiary medical center in Taiwan. Patients who aged over 65 years and admitted to the geriatric ward were invited to this study. Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form, Mini-Mental State and Confusion Assessment Method were used to identify patients with depression, dementia and delirium on admission, respectively. Barthel Index (BI) was used to evaluate patients’ functional status on admission, at discharge, 30-day, 90-day and 180-day after discharge. Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) was used to calculate the associations between 3 D’s and BI. Results One-hundred-and-forty-nine patients were included in this study. Twenty-seven patients (18.1%) had depression, 37 (24.8%) had dementia, and 85 (57.0%) had delirium. The study demonstrated that all the geriatric patients with functional decline presented gradual improvements of physical function up to 180 days after discharge. Whether depression exists did not substantially affect functional recovery after discharge, whilst either dementia or delirium could impede elder people functional status. The recovery of functional improvement in delirium or dementia was relatively irreversible when comparing with depression. Once delirium or dementia was diagnosed, poorer functional restore was expected. In brief, intensive work and strategies on modifying delirium or dementia should be put more effort as early as possible. Conclusions Old hospitalized patients with depression can recover well after adequate intervention. We emphasize that early detection of dementia and delirium is imperative in subsequent functional outcome, even if at or before admission. Comprehensive plan must be implemented timely.


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