The
relationship between depression and educational levels, the
retirement years and chronic diseases of elderly men in area
6 of Tehran's municipality 2005
Authors
Maryam Nooritajer Ph.D 1,
Mana Heknat MS 2,
Arash Ravandi 3,
Rakshandh Mohamasi Ph.D 4
1. Iran university
of medical sciences
2. MS Community Health
3. BS Physiotherapy Iran University of medical sciences
4. Faculty member of Iran University of medical sciences
Correspondence:
Maryam Nooritajer
Ph.D
Email: Maryam
Nooreytajer @yahoo.com
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Abstract:
Introduction: Depression
is one of the most common disorders in the elderly that
can increase the morbidity and mortality in this age.
Objectives: To determine
the status of depression and the relationship between
that and the level of education, the retirement years
and chronic disease of elderly men in area 6 of Tehran's
municipality (2005).
Materials and Methods:
This is a cross-sectional study in which the geriatric
depression scale (GDS) has been used to determine the
status of depression in older male adults.
Results: In this study
49/3% of men had Middle and Severe stages of depression
and there was not any significant relationship between
depression and educational levels, the retirement years
and chronic diseases. But there was a direct relation
between chronic diseases and retirement years.
Conclusion: As the results
show, nearly half of the elderly men have depression of
middle and severe status, so recognizing their problems
and diseases is important for making proper plans and
interventions.
Key words: Elderly, chronic
diseases, retirement years, educational levels.
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Introduction
Many studies have explored the problems
of the elderly (1). Elderly can be defined as every
person who is 60 years old and over (2). Although
aging is not always an unpleasant event, it is a natural process
of life that all of us will experience. Entering this phase,
unlike the puberty phase, doesn't have any significant signs
and symptoms, but a lot of factors, in addition to the passing
time and the years of life.
In the year 200 A.D Jalinus said that
elderly is the boundary of good health and illness (5).
The development of caring for the elderly's problems had stopped
in the middle ages until the eleventh centuries that Aviv cina
had a great observation about chronic and psychic disease in
adults (6).
In Islam older adults are very respectable.
The world's population is aging and the rate of older adults
is increasing, so societies are faced with a lot of new social,
physical, psychic and health problems.
Therefore every planner in different
levels of societies must try to consider the elderly's problems
from a variety aspects of medical, psychical and economical
situations (7).
The United Nation predicts that the
population of the world from 1950 will be three times more than
2.25 and the population of 65 year olds will be five times and
over eighty years old will be seven times more than today's
population (4).
It means that by the year 2020, 13%
of the world's population will be over 50 years old that 70%
of these are living in developing countries, and it is estimated
that from every 10 elderly people, 7 people are living in developing
countries.
A census of the 1986 Iranian population
of elderly was 2,686,350 persons and in the year 1995 it was
4.3 % and in 2004 it was 6.8 % of the present Iranian population
(8).
Nakajina said if the main approach of
public health in the 20th century was life expenses, the new
approach for the next century is better life with better quality.
If in the year 2020 year almost one
milliard of the population of the world will be 60 years old,
it is necessary that the community must focus on health and
social well being (8).
One of the most common disorders in
the elderly is depression. At this period of life it is at high
levels .
Depression is a mood disorder that can
be recognized by perceptional and behavioral disturbances. Signs
of depression can be revealed in major and minor forms. It will
lead to an increase in morbidity and mortality in elders and
can decrease the quality of their lives(2).
The prevalence of depression in 65 years
old and over, is more than 25 percent. In the ordinary situation
15 percent of elders have depression but in Iran, after the
imposed war, this rate became more than 15% (8).
The symptoms of depression are deep
depressive feelings that are not related to any factor in a
patient's life. Characteristics of psychotic depression are
generalized melancholic feelings, pessimistic insight about
the future and poor self-esteem. These symptoms include psychomotor
retardation, insomnia, loss of weight, constipation, lack of
appetite and instability (10).
Secondary depression such as hypothyroidism
depression, and secondary depression related to parkinsonism
and dementia, are in this category (3).
In the year 2004, Iran's population
was 70,000,000 and 12 % were elderly and it will be 15% in 2020 (11).
Prevalence of depression can be increased
from 10% to 30% in patients with chronic diseases, such as diabetes,
stroke and rheumatoid arthritis (8).
Dorsey et al found a significant relationship
between hypertension and depression and between diabetes mellitus
type II and depression (9).
Since older adults are a large group
of the Iranian population, it is important for community health
care personnel to recognize their problems and diseases to make
accurate plans and interventions.
The findings of this research can help
Health care professionals, and special nurses to get used to
the importance of elderly problems.
The aim of this study is to determine
the relationship between depression in elderly men with educational
levels, the retirement years and chronic disease in Area 6 of
Tehran's municipality.
Special of purposes:
