Depression in newly-urbanized elderly Africans
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21504/sajg.v1i1.13Abstract
Two recent South African prevalence studies of depressive symptoms have revealed a high occurence of such symptoms among the black elderly population, particularly in the case of women. In a study of depression conducted in the Cape Peninsula townships of Langa and Khayelitsha (N = 195 and 170, respectively), an alarming vulnerability to depressive symptoms was found among black elderly women. with 27% of the women sampled in Langa and 44% of those in Khayelitsha identifying with these symptoms. The Multidimensional Survey (N = 4 400) demonstrated a greater prevalence of depression among elderly blacks than among other elderly population groups. Possible reasons for these findings are discussed.References
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Barnes, J. & Yach, D. (Eds) 1991. A survey of health aspects of black elderly living in a settled and a newly developed township in the Cape metropolitan area. MRC Urbanisation and Health National Programme, Technical Report No. 11. Tygerberg, CP: Medical Research Council.
Bebbington, D.E., Tennant, C. & Hurry. J. 1991. Adversity in groups with an increased risk of minor affective disorder. British Journal of Psychiatry, 158: 33-40.
Blazer, D. & Williams, C.D. 1980. Epidemiology of dysphoria and depression in an elderly population. American Journal of Psychiatry, 137: 439-44.
Brown, G.W. & Harris, T.O. 1978. Social origins of depression. London: Tavistock.
Brown, G.W., Craig, Y.K.J, & Harris, T.O. 1985, Depression: distress or disease? British Journal of Psychiatry, 147; 612-22.
Copeland, J.R.M., Dewey, M.R., Wood, N., Searle, R., Davidson. I.A. & MacWilliam, C. 1987. Range of mental illness among the elderly in the community, British Journal of Psychiatry, 150: 815-23
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Ferreira, M., Møller, V., Prinsloo, F.R. & Gillis, L.S. 1992. Multidimensional surrey of elderly South Africans. 1990-91: key findings. Cape Town: HSRC/UCT Centre for Gerontology.
Frerich, R.R., Anesheusel, C.S. & Clark, K. A. 1983. Prevalence of depression in LA County. American Journal of Epidemiology, 113: 691 -99.
Gurland, B. Sc Wilder, D.E. 1984. The Short CARE: an efficient instrument for the assessment of depression, dementia and disability. Journal of Gerontology, 39:166-69.
Krause, N. 1986. Stress and sex difference in depressive symptoms amongst older adults. Journal of Gerontology. 41: 727-31.
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Livingston, G., Hawkins, A., Graham. N., Blizard, B, & Mann, A. 1990. The Gospel Oak Story: prevalence rates of dementia, depression and activity limitation. Psychological Medicine, 20: 137-46.
Murrell, S.A., Himmelfarb, S. & Wright, K. 1983. Prevalence of depression and its correlates in older adults. Journal of Epidemiology, 117(2): 173-85.
Pearlin, L.I. & Johnson, J.S. 1977. Marital status, life stress and depression. American Sociological Review. 42: 704-15.
Prinsloo, F.R. 1991. Health services-needs of the elderly in two black urban areas in the Cape Penninsula, South African Medical Journal, 79:485-89.
Radloff, L.S. 1991. The CES-D scale: a self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1(3): 385-401.
Ramphele, M. & Boonzaier, E. 1988. The position of African women: race and gender in South Africa. In: Boonzaier. E. & Sharp, J. South African keywords. Cape Town; David Philip.
Roberts, R.E. & Vernon, S.W. 1983. The CES-D scale: its use in a community sample. American Journal of Psychiatry, 140: 41-46.
Weissman, M.M. & Klerman, G.L. 1977. Epidemiology of mental illness: emerging trends in the United States. Archives of General Psychiatry, 34: 98-102.
Weissman, M. Sc Locke, B.Z. 1975. Comparison of a self-report symptom rating scale with standardized rating scales in psychiatric populations. American Journal of Epidemiology. 102: 430-31.
Barnes, J. & Yach, D. (Eds) 1991. A survey of health aspects of black elderly living in a settled and a newly developed township in the Cape metropolitan area. MRC Urbanisation and Health National Programme, Technical Report No. 11. Tygerberg, CP: Medical Research Council.
Bebbington, D.E., Tennant, C. & Hurry. J. 1991. Adversity in groups with an increased risk of minor affective disorder. British Journal of Psychiatry, 158: 33-40.
Blazer, D. & Williams, C.D. 1980. Epidemiology of dysphoria and depression in an elderly population. American Journal of Psychiatry, 137: 439-44.
Brown, G.W. & Harris, T.O. 1978. Social origins of depression. London: Tavistock.
Brown, G.W., Craig, Y.K.J, & Harris, T.O. 1985, Depression: distress or disease? British Journal of Psychiatry, 147; 612-22.
Copeland, J.R.M., Dewey, M.R., Wood, N., Searle, R., Davidson. I.A. & MacWilliam, C. 1987. Range of mental illness among the elderly in the community, British Journal of Psychiatry, 150: 815-23
Elk, R., Swartz, L. & Gillis, L.S. 1983. The Coloured elderly in Cape Town - a psychosocial, psychiatric and medical community survey. South African Medical Journal, 64(26): 1017-22.
Ferreira, M., Møller, V., Prinsloo, F.R. & Gillis, L.S. 1992. Multidimensional surrey of elderly South Africans. 1990-91: key findings. Cape Town: HSRC/UCT Centre for Gerontology.
Frerich, R.R., Anesheusel, C.S. & Clark, K. A. 1983. Prevalence of depression in LA County. American Journal of Epidemiology, 113: 691 -99.
Gurland, B. Sc Wilder, D.E. 1984. The Short CARE: an efficient instrument for the assessment of depression, dementia and disability. Journal of Gerontology, 39:166-69.
Krause, N. 1986. Stress and sex difference in depressive symptoms amongst older adults. Journal of Gerontology. 41: 727-31.
Krause, N. 1988. Gender and ethnicity differences in psychological wellbeing. In: Maddox, G.L. & Lawton. M.P. (Eds) Annual Review of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 8: 156-86.
Livingston, G., Hawkins, A., Graham. N., Blizard, B, & Mann, A. 1990. The Gospel Oak Story: prevalence rates of dementia, depression and activity limitation. Psychological Medicine, 20: 137-46.
Murrell, S.A., Himmelfarb, S. & Wright, K. 1983. Prevalence of depression and its correlates in older adults. Journal of Epidemiology, 117(2): 173-85.
Pearlin, L.I. & Johnson, J.S. 1977. Marital status, life stress and depression. American Sociological Review. 42: 704-15.
Prinsloo, F.R. 1991. Health services-needs of the elderly in two black urban areas in the Cape Penninsula, South African Medical Journal, 79:485-89.
Radloff, L.S. 1991. The CES-D scale: a self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1(3): 385-401.
Ramphele, M. & Boonzaier, E. 1988. The position of African women: race and gender in South Africa. In: Boonzaier. E. & Sharp, J. South African keywords. Cape Town; David Philip.
Roberts, R.E. & Vernon, S.W. 1983. The CES-D scale: its use in a community sample. American Journal of Psychiatry, 140: 41-46.
Weissman, M.M. & Klerman, G.L. 1977. Epidemiology of mental illness: emerging trends in the United States. Archives of General Psychiatry, 34: 98-102.
Weissman, M. Sc Locke, B.Z. 1975. Comparison of a self-report symptom rating scale with standardized rating scales in psychiatric populations. American Journal of Epidemiology. 102: 430-31.
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1992-10-01
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