PURPOSE
This study was designed to identify factors affecting depression among hospitalized older adults prior to discharge from an acute care hospital.
METHODS
This descriptive study included adults aged 65 or older who were hospitalized in a general hospital in Seoul, Korea. Depression was measured by the Short Form Geriatric Depression Scale and illness perception was evaluated by the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire. Social support was examined using the Perceived Geriatric Social Support Scale. Data were collected from August 25 to October 12, 2015. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, independent t-test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and hierarchical multiple regression.
RESULTS
Among a total of 120 participants, 57 patients (47.5%) experienced depression. Mean depression score was 7.37±3.67. Depression was associated with illness perception (r=.53, p < .001), social support (r=-.19, p=.043), number of admission due to the recurrence (r=.31, p=.001), and time to recognize discharge plan (r=.25, p=.044). In hierarchical multiple regression, illness perception (β=.45, p < .001) and time to recognize discharge plan (β=.21, p=.039) were predictors of depression (F=7.68, p < .001, Adjusted R²=.38).
CONCLUSION
The findings of this study suggest that management of illness perception and timely notice of discharge are important to reduce depression in hospitalized elderly patients.

Citations

• The Mediating Effects of Health Concern and Depression in the Relation between Self-quarantined People’s COVID-19 Stress and Fatigue
  Sun Hwa Shin, Eun Hye Lee
  Journal of Korean Academy of Community Health Nursing.2022; 33(1): 43.     CrossRef
• Mediating Effect of Stress on the Relationship between Illness Perception and Sleep in Patients at Risk of Metabolic Syndrome
  Hyun-E Yeom, Jee-Won Shin
  Korean Journal of Adult Nursing.2019; 31(4): 449.     CrossRef
• The Level of Successful Aging and Influencing Factors of the Community Elderly
  Kyeong-Sook Cha, Hung Sa Lee, Chunmi Kim, Eun Man Kim
  Korean Journal of Health Promotion.2019; 19(1): 39.     CrossRef
• Distress and Quality of Life among Elderly Patients with Gastric Cancer: The Mediating Effect of Social Support
  Yoon Sun Kim, Young Sook Tae, Gum Hee Nam
  Korean Journal of Adult Nursing.2017; 29(5): 536.     CrossRef