Eventos estressantes, estratégias de enfrentamento, auto-eficácia e sintomas depressivos entre idosos residentes na comunidade

Foram investigadas relações entre eventos de vida estressantes, estratégias de enfrentamento, auto-eficácia no enfrentamento e depressão em 544 participantes de um estudo sobre envelhecimento bem-sucedido com idosos residentes na comunidade (74,6% mulheres; idade = 72,11, + 8.29; 42,1% de 60 a 69 anos; 39%, de 70 a 79 e 18,9%, 80 a 99). Os eventos estressantes foram classificados nas categorias finitude, problemas dos filhos, cuidado, crise e bem-estar psicológico. As estratégias de enfrentamento geraram cinco fatores: emoções negativas, controle ambiental, religiosidade, esquiva, inibição das emoções. Auto-eficácia no enfrentamento foi avaliada como adequada x inadequada. Na CES-D, o escore médio foi 10.24 (+8.66), para nota de corte >11, e a prevalência 32%. Maior risco para depressão foi associado a emoções negativas, eventos incontroláveis, ter de 60 a 69 anos e avaliar a auto-eficácia como inadequada. Os eventos estressantes foram menos preditivos de depressão do que a avaliação cognitiva e o enfrentamento.The relationship among stressful life events, coping strategies, self-efficacy in coping and depression in 544 participants of a study on successful aging involving elderly who reside in the community was assessed (74,6% women; age = 72.11; + 8.29; 42,1% age 60-69; 39% 70-79 and 18,9% 80-99). Stressful life events were classified into categories related to: finitude, problems concerning offspring, care, crisis and psychological well-being. Coping strategies generated five factors: negative emotions, environment control, religiosity, avoidance behaviors, and emotional inhibition. Self-efficacy of coping was evaluated between appropriate versus inappropriate. Mean score of depression assessed through CES-D was 10.24, + 8,66); prevalence was 32% to a cut-off score >11. Major risk for depression was associated with negative emotions, uncontrollable events, age 60-69 and inappropiate self-efficacy of coping. The stressful life events seemed less predictive of depression than the cognitive assessment and the coping did

Subjective evaluation of the effects of stressful life events related to death according community-dwelling elderly

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to describe the experience of stressful life events related to death of significant others, in terms of frequency, intensity, long-term effects, coping and self efficacy of coping, according self-reports of community-dwelling elderly. METHODS: 570 participants were interviewed between 2002 and 2003 (M = 73.04, SD = 8.44), 74% women. RESULTS: The participants reported mostly death of close friends or relatives, health problems and death of spouse, as the main stressful events they had lived along the last year. The level of stress was high (M = 6.10, SD = 1.34). Almost a half of the participants evaluated the events as loss or pain. The majority reported positive self-efficacy concerning coping strategies toward the stressful events, interpreted the events as something to be accepted, without long-term effects, and as an opportunity to learn about the importance of family, religion and spirituality. CONCLUSION: Adaptive ways of coping can help aged people to preserve psychological and emotional integrity, even in presence of feelings of loss and pain derived from the experience of stressful life events associated with death of significant others.</p

Stressful events, coping strategies, self-efficacy and depressive symptoms among the elderly residing in the community

The relationship among stressful life events, coping strategies, self-efficacy in coping and depression in 544 participants of a study on successful aging involving elderly who reside in the community was assessed (74,6% women; age = 72.11; + 8.29; 42,1% age 60-69; 39% 70-79 and 18,9% 80-99). Stressful life events were classified into categories related to: finitude, problems concerning offspring, care, crisis and psychological well-being. Coping strategies generated five factors: negative emotions, environment control, religiosity, avoidance behaviors, and emotional inhibition. Self-efficacy of coping was evaluated between appropriate versus inappropriate. Mean score of depression assessed through CES-D was 10.24, + 8,66); prevalence was 32% to a cut-off score >11. Major risk for depression was associated with negative emotions, uncontrollable events, age 60-69 and inappropiate self-efficacy of coping. The stressful life events seemed less predictive of depression than the cognitive assessment and the coping did.Foram investigadas relações entre eventos de vida estressantes, estratégias de enfrentamento, auto-eficácia no enfrentamento e depressão em 544 participantes de um estudo sobre envelhecimento bem-sucedido com idosos residentes na comunidade (74,6% mulheres; idade = 72,11, + 8.29; 42,1% de 60 a 69 anos; 39%, de 70 a 79 e 18,9%, 80 a 99). Os eventos estressantes foram classificados nas categorias finitude, problemas dos filhos, cuidado, crise e bem-estar psicológico. As estratégias de enfrentamento geraram cinco fatores: emoções negativas, controle ambiental, religiosidade, esquiva, inibição das emoções. Auto-eficácia no enfrentamento foi avaliada como adequada x inadequada. Na CES-D, o escore médio foi 10.24 (+8.66), para nota de corte >11, e a prevalência 32%. Maior risco para depressão foi associado a emoções negativas, eventos incontroláveis, ter de 60 a 69 anos e avaliar a auto-eficácia como inadequada. Os eventos estressantes foram menos preditivos de depressão do que a avaliação cognitiva e o enfrentamento.748

Stressful events associated with caregiving, sleeping disorders, and depressive symptoms among community-dwelling elderly

OBJECTIVE: Investigating relationships among stressful life events associated with caregiving, depressive symptoms, and sleeping disorders among men and women aged 65 and more. METHODS: There were 898 participants from the first wave of measures of a community study on successful aging. Participants were aged 60 to 69 (40,6%), 70 to 79 years (40%) and 80 years or more (19,4%); 50% were married and 90,3% have had children. 81,9% had 8 to 11 years of school attendance; more than a half of the sample family monthly income varied between three and eight unities of salary; 50% of the participants lived with two or more relatives. 646 were women (71,9%). Instruments included a questionnaire assessing socioeconomic characteristics, the Center for Epidemiologic Survey-Depression, the Elders Life Stress Inventory, and the Mini-Sleep Questionnaire, all them semantically validated to Brazilian elderly. RESULTS: Prevalence of depressive symptoms, sleeping disorders and caregiving was 33%, 37,5% and 35,5%, respectively. Women scored higher on depression, sleeping disorders and stressful experiences associated to caregiving than men did. Those that reported have lived a worsening of the health of a close relative showed significantly higher scores in the CES-D. Depression, caregiving, and being women appeared as independent risk factors to sleeping disorders, but in the multivariate analysis, the effects of caregiving covaried with patterns of sleeping and aging. CONCLUSION: New studies must clarify the independent role of caregiving stress, depression, gender and aging on sleeping disorders.</p

Relationships Between Gender, Age, Family Conditions, Physical And Mental Health, And Social Isolation Of Elderly Caregivers.

In an aging population an increasing number of elderly caregivers will be called upon to provide care over a long period, during which time they will be burdened both by caregiving and by the physiological effects of their own aging. Among them there will be more aged male caregivers, who will probably be less prepared than women to become caregivers. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between caregivers' gender, age, family income, living arrangements and social support as independent variables, and depressive symptoms, comorbidities, level of frailty, grip strength, walking speed and social isolation, as dependent variables. 176 elderly people (123 women) were selected from a sample of a population-based study on frailty (n = 900), who had cared for a spouse (79.3%) and/or parents (31.4%) in the past five years (mean age = 71.8 ± 4.86 years; mean monthly family income in minimum wages = 4.64 ± 5.14). The study used questionnaires and self-report scales, grip strength and walking speed tests. 65% of participants evaluated caregiving as being very stressful. Univariate analyses of regression showed low family income as a risk factor for depression; being female and low perceived social support as a risk for comorbidities; being 80 years of age and above for low grip strength; and being male for social isolation indicated by discontinuity of activities and social roles. In multivariate analyses of regression, poverty arose as a risk factor for depression and being female for comorbidities. Gender roles, age, income and social support interacted with physical and emotional health, and with the continuity of social participation of elderly caregivers. Special attention must be given to male caregivers.24472-8

Eventos de vida estressantes entre idosos brasileiros residentes na comunidade Stressful life events in Brazilian community-dwelling elderly

Foram investigados eventos de vida estressantes em 544 idosos participantes do estudo PENSA, em Minas Gerais (74,6% de mulheres e 25,4% de homens; média de idade = 72,11; DP ± 8,29; sendo 42,1% de 60 a 69 anos; 39%, de 70 a 79 e 18,9%, 80 a 99). Os eventos compuseram as seguintes categorias: eventos relacionados à finitude (morte ou doença), problemas que afetam os descendentes, relacionados ao cuidado, eventos pontuais e bem-estar psicológico. Os homens relataram eventos pontuais (60-69), problemas dos descendentes (70-79), e finitude e bem-estar (> 80); as mulheres relataram eventos pontuais (60-69), problemas dos descendentes (60-79) e finitude (> 80). As mulheres consideraram os eventos como mais estressantes do que os homens. Resultados semelhantes têm sido relatados na literatura.<br>We examined stressful life events in 544 elderly participants of PENSA, in Minas Gerais (74.6% women and 25.4% men; age = 72.11; ± 8.29; 42.1% aged 60-69; 39% 70-79 and 18.9%, 80-99). Stressful life events were classified into categories related to: death and illness, problems affecting children, caregiving, turning points (transitions), and psychological well-being. Men reported turning points (60-69), problems affecting their children (70-79), death and illness and psychological well-being (> 80); women reported turning points (transitions) (60-69), problems affecting their children (60-79), and own death and illness (> 80). Women evaluated events as more stressful than men did. There are similar results in the literature