Depression in the elderly: a comparison study of recently bereaved and nonbereaved samples

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Title Depression in the elderly: a comparison study of recently bereaved and nonbereaved samples
Publication Type thesis
School or College College of Nursing
Department Nursing
Author Charlson, Sheila Ostrow
Date 1982-03
Description The results of previous research dealing with bereavement and /or depression in the elderly give conflicting and ambiguous reports. The purpose of this study was to attempt to clarify some of this confusion. Depression is a normal part of grieving. Many investigators suggest that depression is also a normal part of aging. This investigator described and compared the severity of depression between a sample of elderly person (N=62) who recently experience conjugal loss and a matched group a still-married older person (N=59). The two samples were utilized in order to describe the extent of depression as an outcome of grief, as well as the degree of which depression may exist among those elderly who have a spouse. Data were taken from a larger project on bereavement and adaptation in the elderly. Data from the bereaved sample were obtained three to four weeks post-conjugal loss. The Zung subscales were analyzed for highest levels of depression. Selected demographic variables were examined for their effect on bereavement and depression. While the bereaved shoed higher levels of depression, neither group manifested clinical levels of depression. Using a Tau C measure of association, a statistically significant relationship was found between bereavement and depression for nearly every variable and every subscale. These preliminary findings led to speculation regarding those elderly at higher risk when conjugal loss occurred. Implications for nursing were discussed.
Type Text
Publisher University of Utah
Subject Older people; Bereavement
Subject MESH Grief; Depression
Dissertation Institution University of Utah
Dissertation Name MS
Language eng
Relation is Version of Digital reproduction of "Depression in the elderly: a comparison study of recently bereaved and nonbereaved sample." Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library. Print version of "Depression in the elderly: a comparison study of recently bereaved and nonbereaved sample." available at J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collection. BF 21.5 1982 C46.
Rights Management © Sheila Ostrow Charlson
Format application/pdf
Format Medium application/pdf
Identifier undthes,212005
Source Original: University of Utah Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library (no longer available).
Funding/Fellowship Grant from the DHEW, Division of Aging #RO1 AG 02193-02, Margaret Dimond, Principal Investigator.
ARK ark:/87278/s6cn75p5
Setname ir_etd
ID 190960
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6cn75p5
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