Psycho-social model of depression within the elderly population in the institutional and non-institutional life conditions.

The aged people are often in need of other people's help available at their home or in institutions for long term care. On the other hand depression is one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders and a common cause of disability in the elderly. The study included N=100 participants. Subjects are individuals in the age of 65 or more, 39 men and 61 women. Fifty subjects have been accommodated in the Elderly Centres (homes for retirees), and fifty have been using gerontology centre services at their homes. Depression, functional capability, psychosomatic disorders and subjective estimate of health have been investigated. It has occurred that depression in general was more present among the subjects who lived in the institutional life conditions, namely that depression major (major, regarding severity of the disease) is more frequently present in this group. Depression minor is more frequent among those subjects who live in the non-institutional conditions. Psychosomatic disorders, decreased functional capability and lack of contacts outside homes are in larger correlation to depression among subjects living in the non-institutional life conditions. Depression and subjective health estimate are highly correlated in both groups. Depression is more widely present among women and subjects with higher education levels.