EXPLORING ASSOCIATION BETWEEN AGE, DEPRESSION AND PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE AMONG ELDERLY IN OLD AGE HOMES

 Dr. Gajanana Prabhu B

  ABSTRACT

As the proportion of the world’s population in the older ages continue to increase, the need for improved information and analysis of ageing increases. Modernization and urbanization have weakened traditional family structure, and precipitated value changes, which in turn have placed the older adults at economic and psychological stress. Age and gender were found to be influencing factors for the hand grip strength. Unrecognized and untreated depression has fatal consequences in terms of both suicide and non suicide mortality. The public health community can monitor depression in the population and promote chronic disease prevention efforts. The purpose of this empirical study was to explore association between age, depression and hand grip strength among older adults. Methods: The subjects for the present cross-sectional study were 102 older adults residing in old age homes of Shimoga district between the age group of 61 and 95 years. Hand grip strength measured by the help of an analogue hand grip dynamometer was used as a proxy for physical performance among older adults. Assessment of depression was accomplished by means of Short Form Geriatric Depression Scale (Yesavage, et al., 1983). Correlation coefficient between age, depression and grip strength were determined by employing Pearson product moment correlation coefficient. Results: There was a significant correlation between age and grip strength in both male and female; depression and right hand grip strength in both male and female; but depression was not significantly correlated with left hand grip strength. Further it was observed that there was a significant correlation between age and depression in female section where as such a significant correlation was not observed between age and depression in male section. Conclusion: This research supports the hypothesis that the hand grip strength and age were influencing factors for the prediction of depression among older adults. There was negative correlation between grip strength and age; right hand grip strength was negatively correlated with depression; and positive relationship between age and depression among older women was observed.

Keywords: Depression, Older Adults, Muscular Strength and Hand Grip Strength.