Predictors of depressive symptoms in older adults living in care homes in Thailand

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Suhathai Tosangwarn, Philip Clissett and Holly Blake

University of Nottingham, UK

: Int J Ment Health Psychiatry

Abstract

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Background & Aim: Most Thai people reject the idea of letting their ageing parents live in a care home due to the belief that a care home is a place for poor older adults who have no family. These beliefs could influence the perception of living in a care home among older residents and result in low self-esteem, isolation, self-harm and depression. Therefore, this study explored the factors associated with depressive symptoms and other variables among older adults residing in a care home in Thailand. Method/Design: 128 older residents were recruited from two care homes in the northeast of Thailand and data was collected using the 15-item Thai geriatric depression scale, Internalized stigma of living in a care home scale, Thai version of Rosenberg self-esteem scale, Thai version of multidimensional scale of perceived social support and a coping strategies inventory short form. Results: Depressive symptoms were found to be significantly correlated with internalized stigma, self-esteem and social support (r=0.563, -0.574 and -0.333) (p< 0.001), respectively. Perceived internalized stigma of living in a care home is the strongest predictor of reporting experiencing some level of depressive symptoms, resulting in an odds ratio of 9.165. Discussion: Perceived internalized stigma is significantly positively correlated with depressive symptoms and is the strongest predictor of the risk of depressive symptoms. By understanding and improving the knowledge of internalized stigma of living in a care home could inform strategy, intervention and guidelines for appropriate care for older adults residing in a care home.

Biography

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Suhathai Tosangwarn has worked as a Lecturer at the Boromarajonani College of Nursing, Thailand since 2007. She has worked in different areas including Hospitals, Primary Care Centers and Care Homes. The care home has become the most interesting setting for her, because she found that older adults were suffering from depression. As a result, her research project is related to exploring the factors associated with depressive symptoms and understanding the stigma of living in a care home among older adults residing in care homes in Thailand.

Email: ntxst8@nottingham.ac.uk