As interrelações entre gênero e sintomatologia depressiva em uma amostra comunitária de idosos do município de Porto Alegre Rs/Brasil

Abstract

This is a cross section study of prospective data gathering with the main objective of analyzing the relation between depressive symptomatology, gender and sociodemographic (marital status, income and scholarship) conditions that exist in a sample of an elderly community enrolled in the Family Health Strategy (ESF) program of the city of Porto Alegre-RS/Brazil. The sample was comprised of 301 elderly people, with an average age of 71,1 years, predominantly women (71,8%). This paper is attached to the Aging and Mental Health Program line of research of the Post-Graduate Program of the Geriatrics and Gerontology Institute (IGG) of the PUC-RS University. The data was gathered through structured interviews (sociodemographic data collected by questionnaire forms), and by application of the GDS-15 instrument (depressive symptom tracking). RESULTS: Possessing an average income of over one minimum wage is a protective factor, decreasing the occurence of depressive symptoms (42%) when compared to those with no income. Elderly with individual income of less than one minimum wage also presented a reduction in the occurrence of depressive symptoms of 35% when compared to those with no income. Besides individual income, elderly with daily use of reading and writing also presented a reduction in the occurrence of depressive symptoms of 21%. The biggest significance variable that distinguishes both genders was marital status. In men, the lack of companionship increase depression by 82% (RP=1,82; IC 95%: 1,20 – 2,76; p=0,005). In women, marital status wasn't a significant indicator of depression (RP=1,01; IC 95%: 0,79 – 1,29; p=0,948).