Research Journal of Medical Sciences
ISSN: Online 1993-6095ISSN: Print 1815-9346
Abstract
The study was done to determine the influence of the family on the prevalence of geriatric depression among the General Outpatient Department of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) attendees. This was done against the background of the family being the most important influence on health and disease outcomes. Conversely, the family is the first to be affected when any member of the family falls ill. A descriptive cross-sectional study of one hundred and fifty randomly selected elderly patients attending the GOPD was carried out. A structured questionnaire containing the geriatric depression scale and the family questionnaire was administered to the patients that had satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data was entered into the computer using the Epi-Info Version 3.2.2 Software and analysed. Lack of family and social support, marital disharmony, parents living with their children and feeling of not mattering by the elderly were among the family attributes that were associated with depression. Living alone was not a risk factor. It was also found that the family had a significant role to play in the prevalence and morbidity of depression in the respondents. Likewise, the care of depressed patients took a toll on the family caregivers making them react adversely thereby worsening the condition of the recipients of care.
How to cite this article:
O.N. Onya and P.C. Stanley. The Influence of the Family on Prevalence and Morbidity of Geriatric Depression among Elderly Gopd Attendees at UPTH.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36478/rjmsci.2013.28.34
URL: https://www.makhillpublications.co/view-article/1815-9346/rjmsci.2013.28.34