Assessment of the Risk of Depression in Neurogeriatric Patients

Introduction. Specific factors predisposing to depression in the elderly are: widowhood, loss of employment, deterioration of the financial situation, loss of physical fitness, dependence on others, the use of institutional care. Early detection and treatment of depressive disorders is a determinant of modern geriatric care.Aim. The aim of the study was to evaluate the risk of depression among elderly patients hospitalized in the neurological departments.Material and Methods. The study was conducted in a group of 113 patients aged over 65 years of age, residing in neurological departments of hospitals in Lublin. Assessing patients was made using the Geriatric Depression Scale in the abbreviated version (Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form — GDS-SF).Results. Assessing the patients with the Geriatric Depression Scale no risk of depression in 75.22% of patients, and 24.88% showed depressive symptoms. In assessing the patients with the scale of depression, it was stated that the mean for the entire group was at the level of 4.15±3.57 points.Conclusions. In the group of elderly patients hospitalized in the neurological departments we found a fairly low risk of depression. More than 3/4 of respondents did not show symptoms of depression. The age of respondents had a significant effect on their risk of depression. (JNNN 2016;5(3):104–108)