Depression and Health Status Among Community-Dwelling Japanese American Elderly

Abstract

Abstract We examined in a cross-sectional study the relationships between depression, health status, and life events in 97 Japanese American elderly aged 65 and older. Individuals in their 60s (n = 11), 70s (n = 58), and 80s (n = 28) completed the Geriatric Depression Scale and the SF-12 Health Survey. All respondents had at least one chronic medical condition with heart disease as the most prevalent. Depression was significantly associated with health status. Self-ratings of general health and social support were significantly and negatively associated with depression. Risk factors such as negative life events and family history of depression were associated with higher depression scores. Like other elderly populations, our findings underscore that this ethnic group is vulnerable to depressive symptomatology and may have distinct needs within a multicultural perspective.