Correlation of Rumination Response and Depression with Lifestyle Mediation in the Elderly

Depression is one of the most important public health concerns among the elderly. Therefore, it is very important and necessary to identify the effective factors in causing depression. The present study was conducted with the aim of determining the correlation between rumination response and depression with the mediation of lifestyle in the elderly.

The study was descriptive-correlation. The statistical population of the study was made up of elderly people in the age range of 60 to 75 years old, residents and non-residents of the nursing home of Bojnourd city in 2018. 400 people were selected using the Krejcie & Morgan formula as non-random and convenience sampling. Data collection was done with demographic questionnaire, "Beck Depression Inventory", "Rumination Response Scale" and "Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II". Content validity was measured by qualitative method and reliability by internal consistency method by calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Data analysis was analyzed using SPSS. 25 and Amos .24.

There is a negative correlation between rumination response and lifestyle components of the elderly and a positive correlation with depression (P≥0.01). Lifestyle components of the elderly have a negative correlation with depression (P≥0.01). Also, the correlation of rumination response with depression is significant indirectly through all lifestyle components (P≥0.05).

Elderly people with high rumination response score report more depressive symptoms. Also, rumination response mediates the depression of the elderly indirectly and through lifestyle components and causes an increase in depression. It is suggested to carry out educational programs in order to promote a healthy lifestyle in the elderly and reduce the rumination response, as well as large-scale planning at the community level to reduce depression.