Depression of Older Adults With Cancer in Korea

• Published in: Clinical gerontologist Vol. 38; no. 5; pp. 395 - 411
• Main Authors: Yoon, Hyun Sook, Lim, Yeon Ok, Choi, Kyoungwon, Kim, Yojin, Lee, Hyun Joo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Routledge 20.10.2015; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Cancer; depression; Economic status; Family support; Friendship; Health care expenditures; Medical diagnosis; Medical personnel; Mental depression; older adults; Older people; Optimism; Recurrence; Sociodemographics; Symptoms; Variables
• ISSN: 0731-7115; 1545-2301
• DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2015.1067273

The study examines the depression of older adults with the level of depressive symptoms in Korean older adults (N = 319) who have cancer and are currently receiving treatment. Level of depressive symptoms was measured using the Korean version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (K-CES-D). Other factors under consideration were socio-demographic variables (gender, age, education, living with spouse, and perceived economic status), cancer/treatment variables (cancer stage at diagnosis, number of treatment, recurrence, and level of functional capability), internal resources (optimism and cancer-related health worries), and external resources (perceived support from family, friends, and medical professionals, other life stressors, and financial burden on medical costs). Data were analyzed using a hierarchical regression model with these variables entered as predictors and level of depressive symptoms as the dependent variable. The results showed a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms among patients with lower economic status, lower functional capabilities, less optimism, more cancer-related health worries, and less family supports. The findings suggest that efforts to enhance optimism and family support, and reduce cancer-related health worries should be emphasized in interventions for older adults with cancer.