Key result
Social support is linked to less decline in activities of daily living among depressed elders.
Why the study?
The protective role of social support against functional decline in severely depressed elderly patients undergoing treatment for major depressive disorder was uncertain.
Does social support buffer functional decline in elderly patients with unipolar depression?
Population
113 elderly patients with incident and prevalent unipolar depression undergoing naturalistic treatment
Comparison
Different domains of informal social support versus levels of social support
Design
Prospective cohort study
Follow-up
12 months
Authors
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Social support evaluation may aid functional preservation in depressed elders; supports observational links but leaves causality open for trials.
Cohort (n=113)
Does social support buffer functional decline in elderly patients with unipolar depression?
Social support, particularly instrumental and structural dimensions, helps protect against functional decline in elderly patients with severe unipolar depression.
Hays et al. (2001) conducted a cohort in Unipolar depression (n=113). Social support was evaluated on Performance on basic and instrumental activities of daily living. Instrumental social support protected against worsening instrumental activities of daily living, and subjective and structural support protected against loss of basic abilities in depressed elders.
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