Religion as a Cross-cultural Determinant of Depression in Elderly Europeans: Results from the EURODEP Collaboration

Background. The protective effects of religion against late life depression may depend on the broader sociocultural environment. This paper examines whether the prevailing religious climate is related to cross-cultural differences of depression in elderly Europeans. Methods. Two approaches were employed, using data from the EURODEP collaboration. First, associations were studied between church-attendance, religious denomination and depression at the syndrome level for six EURODEP study centres (five countries, N = 8398). Secondly, ecological associations were computed by multi-level analysis between national estimates of religious climate, derived from the European Value Survey and depressive symptoms, for the pooled dataset of 13 EURODEP study centres (11 countries, N = 17739). Results. In the first study, depression rates were lower among regular church-attenders, most prominently among Roman Catholics. In the second study, fewer depressive symptoms were found among the female elderly in countries, generally Roman Catholic, with high rates of regular church-attendance. Higher levels of depressive symptoms were found among the male elderly in Protestant countries. Conclusions. Religious practice is associated with less depression in elderly Europeans, both on the individual and the national level. Religious practice, especially when it is embedded within a traditional value-orientation, may facilitate coping with adversity in later life

A modelling approach to estimate the sensitivity of pooled faecal samples for isolation of Salmonella in pigs

The objective of this study was to develop and parametrize a mathematical model of the sensitivity of pooled sampling of faeces to detect Salmonella infection in pigs. A mathematical model was developed to represent the effect of pooling on the probability of Salmonella isolation. Parameters for the model were estimated using data obtained by collecting 50 faecal samples from each of two pig farms. Each sample was tested for Salmonella at individual sample weights of 0.1, 0.5, 1, 10 and 25 g and pools of 5, 10 and 20 samples were created from the individual samples. The highest test sensitivity for individual samples was found at 10 g (90% sensitivity), with the 25 g test sensitivity equal to 83%. For samples of less than 10 g, sensitivity was found to reduce with sample weight. Incubation for 48 h was found to produce a more sensitive test than incubation for 24 h. Model results found increasing sensitivity with more samples in the pool, with the pools of 5, 10 and 20 being more sensitive than individual sampling, and the pools of 20 being the most sensitive of those considered

Depression symptoms in late life assessed using the EURO-D scale: the effects of age, gender and marital status in 14 European centres

Background. In all 11-country European collaboration, 14 population- based surveys included 21 724 subjects aged ≥ 65 years. Most participating centres used the Geriatric Mental State (GMS), but other measures were also used. Aims. To derive from these instruments a common depression symptoms scale, the EURO-D, to allow comparison of risk factor profiles between centres. Method. Common items were identified from the instruments. Algorithms for fitting items to GMS were derived by observation of item correspondence or expert opinion. The resulting 12-item scale was checked for internal consistency, criterion validity and uniformity or factor-analytic profile. Results. The EURO-D is internally consistent, capturing the essence of its parent instrument. A two-factor solution seemed appropriate: depression, tearfulness and wishing to die loaded on the first factor (affective suffering), and loss of interest, poor concentration and lack of enjoyment on the second (motivation). Conclusions. The EURO-D scale should permit valid comparison of risk-factor associations between centres, even if between-centre variation remains difficult to attribute

Avaliação dos níveis séricos das vitaminas A, E, C e B2, de carotenóides e zinco, em idosos hospitalizados Assessment of vitamin A, E, C and B2, carotenoid and zinc serum levels in elderly hospital patients

Foram verificados os níveis séricos de zinco, carotenóides e vitaminas A, E, C, B2 em todos os idosos (n = 202) internados nas diversas enfermarias do hospital estudado, no período de fevereiro de 1986 a outubro de 1988. Foram estudados 130 homens e 72 mulheres que apresentaram média de idade de 67,8 anos, com variação entre 60 a 88. A percentagem de níveis séricos deficitários foi de 59,5 para o zinco, 56,5% para a vitamina C, 34,5% para a vitamina B2, 26% para a vitamina E, 13,2% para a vitamina A e 6,8% para os carotenóides. Os idosos portadores de leucoses, magaesôfogo, doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica e insuficiência cardíaca congestiva constituíram-se no grupo de pacientes com grande prevalência de estado deficitário de zinco e das vitaminas estudadas, resultados que mostram a importância de se investigar as deficiências desses micronutrientes e dão subsídios para a abordagem terapêutica mais racional do paciente idoso internado.<br>Serum levels of carotenoids, zinc and vitamins A, E, C and B2 were measured in al (n = 202) the elderly patients hospitalized in different wards of the hospital studied from February 1986 to October 1988. The study was conducted on 130 men and 72 women with a mean age of 67.8 years (range: 60 to 88 years). The percentage of nutritional deficiency was 59.5% for zinc, 56.5% for vitamin C, 34.5% for vitamin B2, 25.9% for vitamin E, 13.2% for vitamin A, and 6.8% for carotenoids. Elderly patients with leucoses, megaesophagus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and congestive heart failure represent a group with a high prevalence of deficiency both of zinc and of the vitamins under study. These results show the importance of detecting deficiencies of these micronutrients and provide a basis for a more rational approach to the treatment of elderly patients