PAULA, M.; BARBOSA, M; http://lattes.cnpq.br/6403594505667448; BARBOSA, Maria Paula Ramalho.
Abstract:
To identify the occurrence of signs of depression in the elderly from the perspective
of functionality classification. Method: Cross-sectional analytical study conducted in Cuité,
Paraíba, Brazil with 233 elderly people monitored by the Family Health Strategy. The Beck
Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) was used to assess the intensity of depressive symptoms and
the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) 2.0 to measure the
level of functionality. In the analysis, Fischer's Exact, Spearman's Correlation, Mann Whitney
and Kruskal Wallis tests were performed, considering the significant relationships when p-
value less than 0.05. Results: Age showed a significant positive correlation with depression (ρ
= 0.195; p-value = 0.003). When comparing the pattern of depression between the groups of
sociodemographic variables, its highest rates were identified among elderly females (p-value =
0.019), illiterate (p-value = 0.030), retired (p-value = 0.023) and cohabiting only with children
(p-value = 0.038). In the assessment of the BDI, 58.8% of the elderly have some degree of
depression (mild, moderate and severe), with a significant association according to the disability
pattern measured by the WHODAS (p-value < 0.001). Conclusions: It was evident that during
the evolutionary process of senescence, the individual becomes more susceptible to different
degrees of impairment of functionality and the progression of functional incapacity can be
considered a predictive factor for the occurrence of depression in the elderly.
