Preventing Depression: A Program for African American Elders with Chronic Pain

A clear relationship exists between chronic illness and depression. Longitudinal studies have indicated that chronic illness often precedes the onset of depressive symptoms. The goal of this study was to determine if a community-based intervention is useful for preventing depression in African Ameri...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Family & community health 2000-01, Vol.22 (4), p.57-65
Main Author: Phillips, Ruby S. C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Arthritis
Black people
Chronic Illness
Chronic illnesses
Depression (Psychology)
Elderly
Health education
Intervention
Mental depression
Older people
Pain
Pain management
Prevention
Studies
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Summary:A clear relationship exists between chronic illness and depression. Longitudinal studies have indicated that chronic illness often precedes the onset of depressive symptoms. The goal of this study was to determine if a community-based intervention is useful for preventing depression in African American elders with chronic illnesses. The elders were randomly divided into two groups. One group participated in a program in which they were educated about their illnesses and were taught pain management strategies. The second group participated in a program that was not related to their illnesses. The symptoms of depression among the two groups were compared one year after the intervention and again one year later. The results indicated that the elders who were educated about their illnesses had fewer symptoms of depression than those who received no education. Implications for preventing depression in elders are discussed.
ISSN:0160-6379
1550-5057
DOI:10.1097/00003727-200001000-00007