The Relationship Between Self-Care Agency and Depression in Older Adults and Influencing Factors.

Abstract

Depression is a significant mental health problem in older adults. There is a decrease in self-care agency and an increase in the prevalence of depression with aging. The current study was conducted to determine the relationship between self-care agency and depression in Turkish older adults aged ≥65 years (N = 473) and the influencing factors. Data were collected using a demographics questionnaire, the Self-Care Agency Scale, and the Geriatric Depression Scale. Self-care agency was related to age, marital status, level of education, economic status, and persons lived with, and depression was related to gender, marital status, level of education, economic status, chronic disease, and persons lived with. A negative correlation was found between the scales. As the score of self-care agency increased, depression decreased. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 58(10), 39-47.].