Key result
Baseline anxiety, low support, and inactivity link to persistent post-discharge depressive symptoms in older adults.
Why the study?
The transition from hospital to home is a period where older adults are at risk of experiencing depressive symptoms, and factors associated with these symptoms need identification.
What factors are associated with depressive symptoms in older adults during the hospital-to-home transition?
Cohort (n=286)
What factors are associated with depressive symptoms in older adults during the hospital-to-home transition?
Pre-discharge screening for anxiety, depression, social support, and coping ability can identify older adults at high risk for depressive symptoms post-hospitalization.
Pre-discharge screening for anxiety, social support, coping and activity may flag at-risk older adults; leaves open whether targeted interventions reduce post-discharge depressive symptoms.
OBJECTIVE: The transition from hospital to home is a period where older adults are at risk of experiencing depressive symptoms. The present study applied the Social Antecedent Model of Psychopathology (SAMP) to identify factors present at hospital discharge associated with depressive symptoms at discharge and future symptoms at 3- and 6-month post-discharge home. METHOD: 286 older adults aged over 65 (M = 78.38, SD = 7.68, 57% female) reported on a range of variables that were mapped to the SAMP at hospital discharge, 3- and 6-month post-discharge. RESULTS: At baseline assessment, male gender, increased anxiety symptoms, low social support and low perceived coping ability were associated with concurrent baseline depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms at baseline were strongly associated with future depressive symptoms at 3- and 6-month post-discharge. Low household physical activity was also associated with depressive symptoms at 3 months and elevated baseline anxiety symptoms and low social support were associated with depressive symptoms at 6-month post-discharge. CONCLUSION: Pre-discharge screening of depressive and anxiety symptoms, social support, household physical activity and coping ability may assist in identifying elderly patients at risk of developing depressive symptoms during the hospital-to-home transition. These factors may also serve as potential targets for preventative interventions post-discharge for older adults.
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Brown et al. (2020) conducted a cohort in Depressive symptoms post-hospitalisation (n=286). Risk factors at hospital discharge (anxiety, low social support, low coping ability, low physical activity) was evaluated on Depressive symptoms at discharge and at 3- and 6-month post-discharge. In 286 older adults, baseline depressive symptoms, anxiety, low social support, and low physical activity were associated with depressive symptoms up to 6 months post-discharge.
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