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Religion and depression in older medical inpatients.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Koenig, HG
Published in: Am J Geriatr Psychiatry
April 2007

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to examine the religious characteristics of older medical inpatients with major and minor depression, compare them with religious characteristics of nondepressed patients, and examine their relationship to severity and type of depression. METHODS: Medical inpatients over age 50 at Duke University Medical Center (DUMC) and three community hospitals were identified with depressive disorder using a structured psychiatric interview. Detailed information was obtained on their psychiatric, medical, and religious characteristics. Religious characteristics of these patients were then compared with those of nondepressed patients in a concurrent study at DUMC controlling for demographic, health, and social factors. Among depressed patients, relationships to severity and type of depression were also examined. RESULTS: Religious involvement among 411 patients with major and 585 with minor depression was widespread, although not as frequent as in 428 nondepressed patients. After controlling for demographic and physical health factors, depressed patients were more likely to indicate no religious affiliation, less likely to affiliate with neofundamentalist denominations, more likely to indicate "spiritual but not religious," less likely to pray or read scripture, and scored lower on intrinsic religiosity. Among depressed patients, there was no relationship between religion and depression type, but depression severity was associated with a lower religious attendance, prayer, scripture reading, and lower intrinsic religiosity. Social factors only partially explained these relationships. CONCLUSION: Older medically ill hospitalized patients with depression are less religiously involved than nondepressed patients or those with less severe depression. Implications for clinicians are discussed.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

Am J Geriatr Psychiatry

DOI

ISSN

1064-7481

Publication Date

April 2007

Volume

15

Issue

4

Start / End Page

282 / 291

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Statistics as Topic
  • Spirituality
  • Social Support
  • Religion and Psychology
  • Religion
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
  • Personality Inventory
  • North Carolina
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
 

Citation

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Koenig, H. G. (2007). Religion and depression in older medical inpatients. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry, 15(4), 282–291. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.JGP.0000246875.93674.0c
Koenig, Harold G. “Religion and depression in older medical inpatients.Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 15, no. 4 (April 2007): 282–91. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.JGP.0000246875.93674.0c.
Koenig HG. Religion and depression in older medical inpatients. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2007 Apr;15(4):282–91.
Koenig, Harold G. “Religion and depression in older medical inpatients.Am J Geriatr Psychiatry, vol. 15, no. 4, Apr. 2007, pp. 282–91. Pubmed, doi:10.1097/01.JGP.0000246875.93674.0c.
Koenig HG. Religion and depression in older medical inpatients. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2007 Apr;15(4):282–291.
Journal cover image

Published In

Am J Geriatr Psychiatry

DOI

ISSN

1064-7481

Publication Date

April 2007

Volume

15

Issue

4

Start / End Page

282 / 291

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Statistics as Topic
  • Spirituality
  • Social Support
  • Religion and Psychology
  • Religion
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
  • Personality Inventory
  • North Carolina
  • Middle Aged
  • Male