Investigation of the Effect of Gender on General Health Status, Cognitive Functions, Depressive Symptoms, and Spinal Pain in the Elderly: The Sample of Denizli

Year 2016, Volume: 9 Issue: 1, 53 - 60, 24.06.2016

Nesrin Yağcı , Emine Aslan Telci

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of gender on general health status, cognitive functions, depressive symptoms, back pain intensity and neck pain intensity in old adults living in Denizli. This study included 140 voluntary elderly between 65-97 years old (75 females, 65 males; mean age: 71.30±6.35 yrs.). After demographic data recorded, general health status (excellent, very good, good, fair, and poor), cognitive functions (Standardized Mini Mental Test/SMMT), depressive symptoms (Yesavage Geriatric Depression Scale), back and neck pain intensity (Verbal Analog Scale) assessments were performed. The results of this study showed that elderly women were affected more negatively than men in terms of back pain intensity, general health status and depressive symptoms (p<0.05). There was a relationship between neck pain intensity and general health status; back pain intensity, general health status and depressive symptoms in females (p<0.05). Back pain intensity was related to general health status in males (p<0.05). The results of our study showed that the elderly women living in Denizli were affected more negatively than men in terms of health related parameters

Keywords

Elderly, Gender, Spinal Pain, Cognitive Functions, Depressive Symptoms

Yaşlılarda Cinsiyetin Genel Sağlık Durumuna, Kognitif Fonksiyona, Depresif Semptomlara, Bel ve Boyun Ağrısına Etkisinin İncelenmesi: Denizli Örneği

Abstract

Bu çalışmanın amacı Denizli ilinde yaşayan yaşlılarda cinsiyetin genel sağlık durumuna, kognitif fonksiyona, depresif semptomlara, bel ve boyun ağrısına olan etkisinin incelenmesi idi. Çalışma Denizli ilinde yaşayan 65-97 yaş arasındaki 140 gönüllü yaşlı bireyi içerdi (75 kadın, 65 erkek; ortalama yaş: 71,30±6,35 yıl). Demografik veriler kaydedildikten sonra genel sağlık durumu (mükemmel, çok iyi, iyi, zayıf, kötü), kognitif fonksiyon (Standardize Mini Mental Test/SMMT), depresif semptomların varlığı (Yesavage Geriatrik Depresyon Ölçeği), boyun, ve bel bölgesine yönelik ağrı şiddeti (Verbal Ağrı Skalası) değerlendirmeleri yapıldı. Bu çalışmanın sonuçları kadın yaşlıların bel ağrısı şiddeti, genel sağlık durumu ve depresif semptomlar açısından erkeklere göre olumsuz yönde daha fazla etkilendiklerini göstermiştir (p<0,05). Kadınlarda boyun ağrısı şiddeti ve genel sağlık durumu; bel ağrısı şiddeti, genel sağlık durumu ve depresif semptomlar ile ilişkili idi (p<0,05). Erkeklerde bel ağrısı şiddeti, genel sağlık durumu ile ilişkili idi (p<0,05). Bu çalışmanın sonuçları Denizli ilinde yaşayan yaşlı kadınların sağlıkla ilişkili parametreler açısından erkek yaşlılara göre daha fazla olumsuz yönde etkilendiğini göstermiştir.

Keywords

Yaşlı, cinsiyet, bel ağrısı, kognitif fonksiyon, depresif semptomlar

References

• Akdag, B, Telci, EA, and Cavlak, U. (2003). Factors Affecting Cognitive Function in Older Adults: A Turkish Sample. Int J Gerontol,7(3):137-141.
• Beğer, T, ve Yavuzer, H. (2012). Yaşlılık ve yaşlılık epidemiyolojisi. Klinik Gelişim, 25:1-3.
• Birren, JE. (1982) The Psycology of Aging, Prentice Hall, Inc. New Jersey.
• Borenstein, DG, Wiesel, SW, and Boden, SD. (2004) Low back and neck pain: comprehensive diagnosis and management, 3rd edn. Saunders, Philadelphia.
• Bressler, HB, Keyes, WJ, Rochon, PA, et al. (1999). The prevalence of low back pain in the elderly. A systematic review of the literature. Spine, 24(17):1813–1819.
• Chen, CC, Dai, YT, Yen, CJ, et al. (2010). Shared risk factors for distinct geriatric syndromes in older Taiwanese inpatients. Nurs Res, 59:340-347.
• Cobb, JL, Wolf, PA, Au, R, et al. (1995). The effect of education on the incidence of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in the Framingham Study. Neurology, 45:1707-1712.
• Dore, GA, Elias, MF, Robbins, MA, et al. (2007). Cognitive performance and age: norms from the Maine Syracuse study. Exp Aging Res, 33:205-271.
• Ertan, T, and Eker, E. (2000). Reliability, validity, and factor structure of the geriatric depression scale in Turkish elderly: Are there different factor structures for different cultures? Int Psychogeriatr, 12(2):163-172.
• Fillit, HM, Butler, RN, O’Connell, AW, et al. (2002). Achieving and maintaining cognitive vitality with aging. Mayo Clin Proc, 77:681-696.
• Güngen, C, Ertan, T, Eker, E, Yaşar, R, ve Engin, F. (2002). Standardize Mini Mental Test'in Türk toplumunda hafif demans tanısında geçerlik ve güvenilirliği. Türk Psikiyatri Dergisi, 13(4):273-281.
• Hoy, D, Brooks, P, Blyth, F, and Buchbinder, R. (2010). Gender Differences in Relating Factors of Low Back Pain and Sciatica in Community. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol, 24(6):769-781.
• Hsu, HC. (2007). Gender Differences in Health-related Quality of Life among the Elderly in Taiwan. AJHIS, 1(4): 366-376.
• Karp, JF, Reynolds, CF, Butters, MA, Dew, MA, Mazumdar, S, Begley, AE, Lenze, E, and Weiner, DK. (2006). The relationship between pain and mental flexibility in older adult pain clinic patients. Pain Med, 7(5):444-452.
• Kitiş, A, Ülgen, SY, Zencir, M, ve Büker, N. (2012). Evde yaşayan yaşlılarda kognitif düzey, depresyon durumu, fonksiyonel düzey ve yaşam kalitesi arasındaki ilişkinin incelenmesi. Fizyoterapi ve Rehabilitasyon, 23(3):137-143.
• Krause N. (1986). Stress and sex differences in depressive symptoms among older adults. J Gerontol. 41(6):727-731.
• Lawrence, RC, Helmick, CG, Arnett, FC, Deyo, RA, Felson, DT, Giannini, EH, et al. (1998). Estimates of the prevalence of arthritis and selected musculoskeletal disorders in the United States. Arthritis Rheum, 41:778–799.
• Leino, P, and Magni, G. (1993). Depressive and distress symptoms as predictors of low back pain, neck-shoulder pain, and other musculoskeletal morbidity: a 10-year follow-up of metal industry employees. Pain, 5389- 5394.
• Leveille, SG, Ling, S, Hochberg, MC, Resnick, HE, Bandeen-Roche, KJ, Won, A, et al. (2001). Widespread musculoskeletal pain and the progression of disability in older disabled women. Ann Intern Med, 18:1038-1046.
• Orfila F, Ferrer M, Lamarca R, Tebe C, Domingo-Salvany A, Alonso J. (2006). Gender differences in health-related quality of life among the elderly: the role of objective functional capacity and chronic conditions. Soc Sci Med, 63(9):2367-80.
• Sağduyu, A. (1997). The Geriatric Depression Scale. A Reliability and Validity Study in Comparison with Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. Türk Psikiyatri Dergisi, 8(1):3-8.
• Smith, BH, Elliott, AM, Hannaford, PC, et al. (2004). Factors related to the onset and persistence of chronic back pain in the community: results from a general population follow-up study. Spine, 29(9):1032–1040.
• Van Hooren, SA, Valentijn, AM, Bomsa, H, et al. (2007). Cognitive functioning in healthy older adults aged : a cohort study into the effects of age, sex, and education. Neuropsychol Dev Cogn B Aging Neuropsychol Cogn, 14:40-54.
• Weiner, DK, Haggerty, CL, Kritchevsky, SB, Harris, T, Simonsick, EM, Nevitt, M, Newman, A. (2003). Health, Aging, and Body Composition Research Group. Pain Med, 4(4):311-320.
• Weiner, DK, Rudy, TE, Morrow, L, Slaboda, J, and Lieber, S. (2006). The relationship between pain, neuropsychological performance, and physical function in community-dwelling older adults with chronic low back pain. Pain Med, 7(1):60-70.
• Yao, S, Zeng, H, and Sun, S. (2009). Investigation on status and influential factors of cognitive function of the community-dwelling elderly in Changsha City. Arch Gerontol Geriatr, 49:329-334.
• Zunzunegui, MV, Minicuci, N, Blumstein, T, Noale, M, Deeg, D, Jylhä, M, and Pedersen, NL. (2007). CLESA Working Group. Gender differences in depressive symptoms among older adults: a cross-national comparison: the CLESA project. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemio, 42(3):198-207.