Self-rated health and depressive symptoms in patients with end-stage renal disease and their spouses: a longitudinal dyadic analysis of late-life marriages

• Published in: The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences Vol. 64; no. 2; pp. 212 - 221
• Main Authors: Pruchno, Rachel, Wilson-Genderson, Maureen, Cartwright, Francine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Oxford University Press for Gerontological Society of America 01.03.2009
• Series: Journals of Gerontology: Series B
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Caregivers - psychology; Depression - psychology; Female; Humans; Kidney Failure, Chronic - psychology; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Middle Aged; Models, Psychological; Personality Inventory - statistics & numerical data; Psychometrics; Sick Role; Statistics as Topic
• ISSN: 1079-5014; 1758-5368
• DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbp006

Limited research has examined the ways in which changes in self-rated health experienced by aging spouses affect depressive symptoms of both members of the dyad. Longitudinal data from 315 older couples in which one partner had end-stage renal disease were analyzed using multilevel modeling. Results indicate that for both patients and spouses, own mean self-rated health was associated with own depressive symptoms, and change in self-rated health had a significant negative association with change in own depressive symptoms. Both mean self-rated health of the patient and change in patient's self-rated health had negative relationships with spouse depressive symptoms, with changes in patient's self-rated health having a stronger impact on spouse depressive symptoms than changes in spouse's own self-rated health. Results suggest the importance of understanding physical and mental health in the context of the marital dyad.