| Abstract [eng] |
The aim of research work: to determine the relationship between depressive symptoms and frailty among elderly adults. Tasks of work: 1. To evaluate the features of frailty in elderly adults. 2. Using the geriatric depression scale to assess the manifestation of depressive symptoms in elderly men and women with frailty. 3. To compare the occurrence of depressive symptoms between healthy and elderly persons with frailty. 4. To determine the correlations between depressive symptoms and frailty. Materials and methods. Research took place at Public Institution Mykolo Marcinkevičiaus Hospital, Vilnius, in 2022 - 2024. The study included 58 subjects (age ranged from 65 to 95 years), divided into two groups: the experimental group (n=39) consisted of persons diagnosed with frailty and the control group (n=19) consisted of persons without frailty. Sociodemographic data questionnaire, Mini-mental state examination, geriatric depression scale short version, Fried frailty phenotype questionnaire were used to conduct the study. Data analysis was performed using mathematical statistical analysis, Excel 20 and SPSS programs. Results. The study showed that the prevalence of frailty among elderly reaches a third (32.8 pct.) of all subjects, of which almost all sufferers (84.2 pct.) are lonely, and more than half of sufferers (57.8 pct.) have depressive symptoms. Men with frailty have a significantly higher incidence of bad mood compared to women (p=0.029). Depressive symptoms were found to be more common among individuals with frailty (p<0.001, additionally with moderate positive correlation, r=0.517; p<0.001). Analysis of depressive symptoms showed correlations between frailty and boredom, bad mood, helplessness, memory problems, lack of energy (p<0.05). Correlations were also established between the results of the geriatric depression scale and signs of frailty: body weight loss, fatigue, reduced hand strength, and reduced physical activity level (p<0.05). Conclusions: 1. The occurrence of frailty significantly depends on age and marital status: most people with frailty are lonely and older than 72 years. 2. Cognitive disorders of the elderly have a significant influence on the manifestation of depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms occur regardless of gender, but male sufferers are more likely to have bad mood. 3. Depressive symptoms of elderly occur significantly more often among persons with frailty than in the control group of healthy persons. 4. A statistically significant correlation was established between depressive symptoms (boredom, bad mood, helplessness, memory problems, lack of energy) and frailty. Depressive symptoms correlate with weight loss, fatigue, hand strength, and physical activity levels. |
