Brain & Mind Research Institute, University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia.
BMC Geriatr. 2013 Apr 9;13:30. doi: 10.1186/1471-2318-13-30.
It is important to understand the complex inter-relationship between depression and physical illness in order to plan and provide quality health care services for older persons and reduce suffering and early mortality. This study assessed the awareness and knowledge of age-care staff of the link between physical morbidity and depression.
One hundred and nineteen staff from both residential (high and low care) and community aged care facilities were surveyed on their awareness and knowledge of the relationship between physical morbidity and symptoms of depression. Predictors of levels of knowledge were assessed using multiple regression analysis.
Awareness of the link between physical morbidity and symptoms of depression was generally high. However, while nearly eighty percent of respondents said they had had training in mental health, they were only able to answer an average of six out of ten of the knowledge questions correctly. Predictors of knowledge were: higher age, higher educational status and working in a high care facility.
Responses to the survey questions demonstrated gaps in knowledge about the relationship between depression and physical health. The need for regular ongoing training to improve knowledge and awareness of this relationship is indicated. Treatment of physical health issues which is essential in reducing the risk for depression in older persons in aged care environments could be optimized by improved staff training.
为了为老年人规划和提供优质的医疗保健服务，并减少痛苦和早逝，了解抑郁和身体疾病之间的复杂相互关系非常重要。本研究评估了老年护理人员对身体发病率和抑郁症状之间联系的认识和了解程度。
对来自住宅（高、低护理）和社区老年护理机构的 119 名工作人员进行了调查，了解他们对身体发病率和抑郁症状之间关系的认识和了解程度。使用多元回归分析评估了知识水平的预测因素。
对身体发病率和抑郁症状之间联系的认识普遍较高。然而，尽管近 80%的受访者表示他们接受过心理健康培训，但他们只能正确回答十个知识问题中的六个左右。知识的预测因素是：年龄较大、教育程度较高以及在高护理设施工作。
对调查问题的回答表明，对抑郁与身体健康之间关系的了解存在差距。需要定期进行持续培训，以提高对这种关系的认识和了解。改善员工培训可以优化对老年人身体保健问题的治疗，从而降低老年人在老年护理环境中患抑郁症的风险。
