Egészségbiztonság Nemzeti Laboratórium(RRF-2.3.1-21-2022-00006) Funder: NRDIO
(RRF-2.3.1-21-2022-00003)
(TKP2021-NKTA-47)
(BO/00513/23/5))
(BO/00933/22/5)
Mental disorders are among the leading causes of disability worldwide, disproportionately
affecting older people. This study aims to assess the mental health of elderly individuals
living in a deprived region of Hungary, and to identify and estimate the weight of
different determinants of mental health across different age groups. A cross-sectional
study was conducted with randomly selected samples of individuals (n = 860) aged 18
years and older in Northeast Hungary. The World Health Organization Well-Being Index
(WHO-5), the single-item Life Satisfaction Scale, and the 12-item General Health Questionnaire
(GHQ-12) were used to measure mental health of the participants. Multiple linear regression
analysis was performed to measure the association between sociodemographic and health-related
variables and mental health. Overall, the mean WHO-5 score was 69.2 ± 18.1 and it
showed a significant decrease by age ( p < 0.001), with the lowest score observed
in aged 75 years and above ( p < 0.001). The mean life satisfaction score was 7.5
± 1.9 and it showed a significant decreasing trend over the life course ( p < 0.001).
The highest level of psychological distress as assessed by GHQ-12 was observed in
the group aged 75 years or older (11.5 ± 6.0, p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression
indicated that self-reported financial status, social support, sense of control over
their health, activity limitation and pain intensity were the most important determinants
of mental health among older adults. Interventions to improve the mental health of
older adults should focus on the positive impact of social support, the reduction
of financial insecurity and the use of effective pain relief medications.
