The Community-based Study to Prevent Depression and Suicide among the Elderly in Shimane Prefecture

2002 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 13670406
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Public health/Health science
• Research Institution: Shimane Nursing College
• Principal Investigator: FUKUZAWA Yoichiro Shimane Nursing College Profesor, 看護学科, 教授 (40127527)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KATOU Maki Shimane Nursing College Assistant, 看護学科, 助手 (70331816) ; AGO Yukari Shimane Nursing College Lecturer, 看護学科, 講師 (30280134) ; ISHIBASHI Teruko Shimane Nursing College Lecturer, 看護学科, 講師 (40280127)
• Project Period (FY): 2001 – 2002
• Keywords: the elderly / depression symptoms / suicide / regional comparison / prevention

Research Abstract

Based on the results of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), this study was made to find out about the prevalence of depressive symptoms ( PDS ) of the elderly who live in a fishing village( n=72), a mountain village( n=328) and a city(n=252), in Shimane Prefecture.
We regarded the subjects who scored more than 6 points in GDS as the depressive symptoms.
The major findings are as follows:
1. PDS of the elderly were higher in female than in males in all regions.
2. The highest PDS of the elderly was in a city, which was followed in a fishing village and in a mountain village in both sexes.
3. The relationship between the depression symptoms and the stressful life events and the size of a family and the health condition was indicated in this study.
4. The high mortality rate from suicide was found in 40-59 years old in male and in 70-79 years old in female. The main causes of suicide were considered to be psychological health, the general health status, and the economic situation.