Comparison of Health-Promoting Lifestyle in Elderly with Depression and Healthy Elderly in Isfahan City, Iran, in Year 2018

Given the high prevalence of depression in the elderly, as well as the importance of health-related lifestyle in the prevention of aging, this study was designed to compare the health-promoting lifestyle in elderly with depression and healthy elderly.

This was a cross-sectional study on 200 elderly over 60 years of age referred to health care centers in Isfahan City, Iran, during the year 2018. Demographic information, health-promoting lifestyle (Walker and Hill-Polerecky questionnaire), and depression [Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) short form] were recorded and analyzed.

The prevalence of depression among 200 elderly was 59.1%, and the initial analysis showed a significant relationship between marital status, education, and all aspects of health-promotion lifestyle (nutrition, exercise, responsibility for health, stress management, interpersonal support, and self-healing) and depression. However, after adjusting for all factors in multivariate regression analysis, there was significant independent and inverse relationship between the dimensions of stress management [odds ratio (OR) = 0.76; confidence interval (CI): 0.99-0.58) and responsibility (OR = 0.75; CI: 0.90-0.62) and depression in the elderly.

Onwards of health-promoting lifestyle, stress management, and health responsibility in elderly with depression is poorer than healthy ones.