IMPACT OF DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS ON ELDERLY PEOPLE´S DEATH RATES IN HOSPITALS

  • Rilva Lopes de Sousa-Muñoz Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB
  • Ezemir Dantas Fernandes Junior Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB
  • Divany de Brito Nascimento Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB
  • Bruno Braz Garcia Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB
  • Iramirton Figuêredo Moreira Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB
Keywords: Depression, Elderly People, Mortality Rate

Abstract

Depression symptoms are a foreseen factor for higher mortality rates in elderly people suffering from chronic diseases. Functional incapacity is also important in clinical evolution. Are depression symptoms associated to an unfavorable evolution in hospitalized elderly patients regardless of their functional capacity? Current research evaluated depression symptoms associated to an unfavorable hospital evolution (increase in the permanence in hospital and death rate) regardless of functional capacity. Analysis comprised a prospective section in elderly patients hospitalized in the medical wards of the Hospital Universitário Lauro Wanderley (HULW), João Pessoa PB Brazil, and evaluated at two instances, or rather, second day of hospitalization and discharge. Geriatric Depress Scale (EDG-15) and Barthel Index for Incapacity in Activities of Daily Living (BIIADL) were employed. The age of the one hundred patients ranged between 60 and 96 years (69.47±7.45). Hospital mortality was related to scores of EDG-15 of hospitalization (p=0.001). Co-relationship existed between scores of EDG-15 and BIIADL at the start (p=0.008) and discharge of hospitalization (p=0.01), with inversed linear co-relationships (r=-0.30), albeit weak magnitude (r=-0.30 and r=-0.28, respectively). Depression symptomology was associated with high death rates, regardless of functional capacity. The importance of depression symptomology evaluation in hospitalized elderly people should be underscored. Further studies and prospective analyses may provide further indications.

Author Biographies

Rilva Lopes de Sousa-Muñoz, Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB
Docente do Departamento de Medicina Interna, Centro de Ciências Médicas (CCM), Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB
Ezemir Dantas Fernandes Junior, Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB
Graduandos do Curso de Medicina, CCM, Universidade Federal da Paraíba – UFPB. Este trabalho foi financiado com bolsa do Programa de Iniciação Científica PIBIC/CNPq/UFPB
Divany de Brito Nascimento, Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB
Graduandos do Curso de Medicina, CCM, Universidade Federal da Paraíba – UFPB. Este trabalho foi financiado com bolsa do Programa de Iniciação Científica PIBIC/CNPq/UFPB
Bruno Braz Garcia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB
Graduandos do Curso de Medicina, CCM, Universidade Federal da Paraíba – UFPB. Este trabalho foi financiado com bolsa do Programa de Iniciação Científica PIBIC/CNPq/UFPB
Iramirton Figuêredo Moreira, Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB
Graduandos do Curso de Medicina, CCM, Universidade Federal da Paraíba – UFPB. Este trabalho foi financiado com bolsa do Programa de Iniciação Científica PIBIC/CNPq/UFPB
Published
2013-07-16
Section
Artigos Originais