Stress, Depression and Health Risk Behaviors in Korean Elders.
- Author:
Ae Jung KIM
1
;
Ok Soo KIM
;
Sunghee BAIK
;
Jonghwa JANG
;
Jung Hee KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Nursing, Yeojoo Institute of Technology, Korea. elegance753@hanmail.net
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Stress;
Depression;
Health Behaviors;
Elderly
- MeSH:
Aged;
Alcohol Drinking;
Depression*;
Health Behavior;
Humans;
Risk-Taking*;
Tobacco Products
- From:Journal of Korean Academy of Community Health Nursing
2007;18(3):391-399
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate stress, depression and health risk behaviors in elderly people. METHODS: The subjects were 238 Korean elders who had visited the convalescent center. The level of stress was measured by the Korean version of BEPSI, which was developed by Bae, Jeung & Yoo (1992) and modified by Yim et al.(1996). CES-D was used to measure the level of depression. For health risk behaviors, we measured cigarette consumption and alcohol drinking during the last one month. RESULTS: Of the subjects, 17.4% were excessive drinkers and 18.9% were currently smokers. The level of stress was between moderate and high, and 62.7% of the subjects were depressed. There were significant differences in stress and depression according to economic status and self-reported health. In addition, depression had positive correlations with stress and QF score. CONCLUSION: Stress and depression management programs for the elderly are needed. These findings indicate that nurses must consider stress and alcohol drinking when they take care of depressed elderly people.
