TY - JOUR AU - Phainrungruang, Rosaporn AU - Lueboonthavatchai, Peeraphon PY - 2014/08/20 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Interpersonal Problems and Depression of the Elderly at the Elderly Association in Phitsanulok Province JF - Journal of the Psychiatric Association of Thailand JA - J Psychiatr Assoc Thailand VL - 60 IS - 1 SE - Original Articles DO - UR - https://he01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/JPAT/article/view/33406 SP - 23-34 AB - <strong><strong></strong></strong><p align="justify">Objectives :</p><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><strong></strong><span style="font-family: UPC-Cordia,UPC-Cordia; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: UPC-Cordia,UPC-Cordia; font-size: large;">To find out the prevalence of interpersonal problems, depression, and the association between interpersonal problems and depression of the elderly at the Elderly Association in Phitsanulok province. </span></span></span></strong><strong><strong></strong></strong><p align="justify">Method :</p><strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong></strong><span style="font-family: UPC-Cordia,UPC-Cordia; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: UPC-Cordia,UPC-Cordia; font-size: medium;">Three hundred and ninety-one elderly, aged 60 or above, living in Phitsanulok province were recruited into the study during June-September 2013. All of the participants completed four questionnaires: 1) demographic data form, 2) Thai interpersonal questionnaire, 3) Thai geriatric </span></span><span style="font-family: UPC-Cordia,UPC-Cordia; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: UPC-Cordia,UPC-Cordia; font-size: large;">depression scale (TGDS), and 4) 1-year life events questionnaire. The prevalence of interpersonal </span></span><span style="font-family: UPC-Cordia,UPC-Cordia; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: UPC-Cordia,UPC-Cordia; font-size: medium;">problems and depression were presented by frequency and percentage, and the association between interpersonal problems and depression was analyzed by using chi-square test. </span></span></span></strong><strong><strong></strong></strong><p align="justify">Results:</p><strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong></strong><span style="font-family: UPC-Cordia,UPC-Cordia; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: UPC-Cordia,UPC-Cordia; font-size: large;">Most of the participants were female (68.5%), the average age was 69.8 years, and 53.3% </span></span><span style="font-family: UPC-Cordia,UPC-Cordia; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: UPC-Cordia,UPC-Cordia; font-size: medium;">were married. Grief or bereavement, the highest prevalent problem, was found 45.0%, caused by the death of relatives, parents, and spouse. The maladjustment of grief was associated with the </span></span><span style="font-family: UPC-Cordia,UPC-Cordia; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: UPC-Cordia,UPC-Cordia; font-size: large;">sudden (p&lt;0.01), or unexpected death (p&lt;0.05). Both interpersonal role disputes and interpersonal deficits were secondly common problems (13.8%). Persons in the dispute were relatives, children, and spouse. Interpersonal deficits were associated with the lack of social support (p&lt;0.05). Role transitions, the least common problem (3.8%), included health and financial problems. Thirty-six of the participants (9.2%) had depression, 7.2% with mild depression and 2.0% with </span></span><span style="font-family: UPC-Cordia,UPC-Cordia; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: UPC-Cordia,UPC-Cordia; font-size: medium;">moderate depression. Four interpersonal problems were associated with the depression; grief or </span></span><span style="font-family: UPC-Cordia,UPC-Cordia; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: UPC-Cordia,UPC-Cordia; font-size: large;">bereavement (p&lt;0.05), interpersonal role disputes (p&lt;0.01), role transitions (p&lt;0.01), and </span></span><span style="font-family: UPC-Cordia,UPC-Cordia; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: UPC-Cordia,UPC-Cordia; font-size: medium;">interpersonal deficits (p&lt;0.01). </span></span></span></strong><strong><strong></strong></strong><p>Conclusion :</p><strong><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><strong></strong><span style="font-family: UPC-Cordia,UPC-Cordia; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: UPC-Cordia,UPC-Cordia; font-size: large;">Interpersonal problems and depression were common in the elderly. Grief was the most common problem. All four interpersonal problems were associated with the depression in</span></span></span></strong></strong><p><strong>the elderly.</strong></p><strong></strong> ER -