Mental health problem of older persons in Ban Bang Khae Social Welfare Development Center for Older Persons.

Abstract

Objective : To determine the prevalence of mental health problem and factors associated with mental health problems of the elderly at Ban Bang Khae Social Welfare Development Center for Older Persons.

Design : Cross-sectional descriptive study

Setting : Ban Bang Khae Social Welfare Development Center for Older Persons

Materials and Method : Ninety-nine subjects who stay in Ban Bang Khae Social Welfare Development Center for Older Persons since August 2010 to October 2010 were recruited. The instruments consisted of demographic data questionnaires, Thai General Health Questionnaire-28 and The Self-Esteem scale. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, Fisher’s Exact test, Multiple Logistic Regression and Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient were used for data analysis.

Results : About 67.7% of the samples were female. Their mean age was 77.41 ± 7.32 years old; their duration of stay at the center less than 5 years was 64.6%. The research findings were as follows: 1) 22% of the sample had mental health problem; 2) factors significantly associated with mental health were age more than 70 years, graduated below bachelor degree, having health problem, having no visitor, very low to medium level of satisfaction with Ban Bangkhae, low or medium level of selfesteem (p < 0.05); 3) The Thai-GHQ scores were significantly related to self-esteem in negative direction (r = -0.437) at p < 0.01.

Conclusions : Twenty-two percent of older persons in Ban Bang Khae Social Welfare Development Center had mental health problems. Finding the factors associated with mental health problem, realizing to help and concern about psycho-social factors are important in the care of mental health of the elderly.