| |
Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
 | |
|
| Social networks and depressive symptoms among elderly women and men in Havana, Cuba | | Author(s) | Maryline Sicotte, Beatriz Eugenia Alvarado, Esther-Maria León |
| Journal title | Aging & Mental Health, vol 12, no 2, March 2008 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis, March 2008 |
| Pages | pp 193-201 |
| Source | http://www.tandfonline.com |
| Keywords | Depression ; Symptoms ; Personal relationships ; Social contacts ; Social surveys ; Cuba. |
| Annotation | Information gathered from a representative sample of 1905 older people in Havana, Cuba as part of the SABE study (Salud, Bienestar y Envejecimiento - a study of health, well-being and ageing) was used to examine the main and stress-buffering effects of social networks on depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). The structure and functions of social networks were studied. Gender-specific multivariate logistic regressions were fitted to test the main (independent of stressors) and the stress-buffering effects (in the presence of financial strain or disabilities) on depressive symptoms. Social ties were associated with a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms in women and men independently of the presence of stressors. Women who were or had been married, lived in an extended family, and enjoyed balanced exchanges with relatives and children reported low prevalence of depressive symptoms. Men were less likely to report depressive symptoms if they were currently married, and did not live alone. Social networks buffered the effect of financial strain on depression, but not in the event of disability. In Cuba, networks centred on children and extended family were associated with low frequency of depressive symptoms, ruling contrary to common findings in developed societies. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-080512204 A |
| Classmark | ENR: CT: DS: TOA: 3F: 7VC |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
|
| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
| |
|