By: Darshana S. Gaikwad, Vinod Veerbhadrannavar, Shivkumar Kori, and Rajeshree Mane
Researcher, Department of Nursing, Sant Gajanan Maharaj College of Nursing, Mahagaon, Maharashtra, India
Objectives: To evaluate the degree of depression. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of horticultural therapy on depression and to explore the relationship between depression levels and selected demographic variables. Methods: A quantitative evaluative survey approach was employed, utilizing a quasi-experimental one-group pre-test–post-test design. The study focused on elderly individuals living in old age homes. A simple random sampling method was used to recruit a total of 60 participants. The assessment included demographic data and the Modified Geriatric Depression Scale, which demonstrated a reliability coefficient of r = 0.803. Data analysis was performed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Among the participants, 24 (40%) were aged between 70 and 79 years, while 16 (26.6%) were 80 years or older. Additionally, 32 (53.3%) of the participants were female. In terms of religious affiliation, 36 (60%) identified as Hindu, and 16 (26.6%) followed other faiths. Regarding marital status, 30 (50%) were widowed, 18 (30%) were married, 8 (13.3%) were unmarried, and 4 (6.6%) were separated. Notably, 26 (43.3%) had no children, while 6 (10%) had more than three children. Of the participants, 30 (50%) entered the old age home voluntarily, while 10 (16.6%) were brought in by family members. Additionally, 26 (43.3%) had lived at the old age home for 1 to 3 years, while 16 (26.6%) had resided there for less than a year. Most participants, 52 (86.6%), reported no mental illness. The mean depression scores were 57.6 before the intervention and decreased to 49.3 afterward, with standard deviations of 12.92 and 12.97, respectively. The mean difference was 8.3, with a median difference of 10, a mode difference of 8, and a standard deviation difference of 0.05. In the pre-test, 28 participants (46.6%) exhibited mild depression, while 32 (53.3%) showed moderate depression; none were classified as having severe depression. In the post-test, 11 participants (18.3%) were categorized as normal, 39 (65%) had mild depression, and 10 (16.6%) continued to show moderate depression. The calculated t-value (t_cal = 3.52) was higher than the table value (t_tab = 2.00), indicating that horticulture therapy is effective in reducing depression among elderly individuals. Additionally, all calculated values were lower than the tabulated values, suggesting no significant association between the pre-test levels of depression and the selected socio-demographic variables.
Keywords: Depression, socio-demographic variables, modified geriatric depression scale, pre-test, standard deviations
Citation:
Refrences:
1. Osho. Quotes on Old Age. [Online]. 2000 Aug 16 [cited 2010 Nov 4]; available from: URL:Topihttp://www.oshoquotes.net/2010/09/osho-quotes-on-old-age/c.
2. Park K. Park’s Text Book of Preventive and Social Medicine. 17th Edition, M/s Banarsidas Bhanot, Jabalpur; 2002;259–267:314–316.
3. Waxman HM, Carner EA. Depressive symptoms and health service utilization among the community elderly. Journal of the American Geriatric Society. 1982 Oct;17(4):12–14.
4. MoSPI. Elderly in India- 2016. Available online at: https://www.mospi.gov.in/sites/default/files/
publication_reports/ElderlyinIndia_2016.pdf
5. Panțiru I, Ronaldson A, Sima N, Dregan A, Sima R. The impact of gardening on well-being, mental health, and quality of life: an umbrella review and meta-analysis. Syst Rev. 2024 Jan 29;13(1):45. doi: 10.1186/s13643-024-02457-9. PMID: 38287430; PMCID: PMC10823662.
6. Sanghamitra N Maulik, Aparajita Dasgupta. Depression and its determinants in the rural elderly of west Bengal – a cross sectional study. Int J Biol Med Res. 2012;3(1):1299–1302.
7. Ramli FF, Singh N, Emir UE, Villa LM, Waters S, Harmer CJ, et al. Effects of ebselen addition on emotional processing and brain neurochemistry in depressed patients unresponsive to antidepressant medication. Transl Psychiatry. 2024 May 7;14(1):200. doi: 10.1038/s41398-024-02899-8. PMID: 38714646; PMCID: PMC11076504.
8. Yun J, Yao W, Meng T, Mu Z. Effects of horticultural therapy on health in the elderly: A review and meta-analysis. Z Gesundh Wiss. 2023 Jun 5:1–27. doi: 10.1007/s10389-023-01938-w. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37361284; PMCID: PMC10240129.
9. Detweiler MB, Sharma T, Detweiler JG, et al. What is the evidence to support the use of therapeutic gardens for the elderly? Psychiatry Investigation. 2012;9(2):100–110.
10. Pilania M, Yadav V, Bairwa M, Behera P, Gupta SD, Khurana H, et al. Prevalence of depression among the elderly (60 years and above) population in India, 1997-2016: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health. 2019 Jun 27;19(1):832. doi: 10.1186/s12889-019-7136-z. PMID: 31248394; PMCID: PMC6598256.
11. WHO warns of rise of widows in India’s greying population Times of India. April 3. Available from URL: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/who-warns-of-rise-of-widows-in-indias-graying-population/articleshow/12511487.cms
12. Fiske A, Wetherell JL, Gatz M. Depression in older adults. Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2009;5:363–89. doi: 10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.032408.153621. PMID: 19327033; PMCID: PMC2852580.
13. Rathod MS, Dixit JV, Goel AD, Yadav V. Prevalence of Depression in an Urban Geriatric Population in Marathwada Region of Western India. Indian J Psychol Med. 2019;41(1):32–37.
14. WebMed. How Gardening Affects Mental Health. Available online at: https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/how-gardening-affects-mental-health
15. Wikipedia. Horticultural therapy. Available online at: https://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Horticultural_therapy
16. Oliver MJ. Why we need GMO crops in agriculture. Mo Med. 2014 Nov–Dec;111(6):492–507.
17. Polit DF and Cheryl Tatano Beck. Nursing Research: Generating and Assessing Evidence for Nursing Practice. 9th edition. New Delhi: Wolter Kluwer (India) Pvt. Ltd. 2012.
18. Riedel-Heller SG, Busse A, Angermeyer MC. The state of mental health in old-age across the ‘old’ European Union- a systematic review. Acta Psychiatry Scand. 2006;113(5):388–401.
19. Chen R, Hu Z, Wei L, Wilson K. Socioeconomic status and survival among older adults with dementia and depression. Br J Psychiatry. 2014;204(6):436–440.
20. Saunders PA, Copeland JR, Dewey ME, et al. The prevalence of dementia, depression and neurosis in later life: the Liverpool MRC-ALPHA Study. In J Epidemiol. 1993;22(5):838–847.
21. Shankar Radhakrishnan, Abdul Nayeem. Prevalence of depression among geriatric population in a rural area in Tamilnadu. Int J Nutri Pharmacol Neurological Dis. 2013;3(3):309–12.
22. Kleisiaris C, Maniou M, Papathanasiou I, A, Sfiniadaki, E, Collaku, Ch., Koutsoumpa, Sarafis, Pavlos. The prevalence of depressive symptoms in an elderly population and their relation to life situations in home care. Health Sci J. 2013;7(4):417–423.
23. Barua A, Kar N. Screening for depression in elderly Indian population. Indian J Psychiatry. 2010;52(2):150–153.
24. Raj Kumar AP, Thangadurai P, Senthilkumar P, Gayathri K, Prince M, Jacob KS. Nature, prevalence and factors associated with depression among the elderly in a rural south Indian community. In Psychogeriatric. 2009;21(2):372–378.
25. Biswas SS, Gupta R, Vanjare HA, et al. Depression in the elderly in Vellore, South India: the use of a two-question screen. In Psychogeriatric. 2009;21(2):369–371.
26. Parmelee PA, Katz IR, Lawton MP. The relation of pain to depression among institutionalized aged. J Gerontol. 1991;46(1):15–21.
27. Soderback I, Söderström M, Schälander E. Horticultural therapy: the ‘healing garden’ and gardening in rehabilitation measures at Danderyd Hospital Rehabilitation Clinic, Sweden. Pediatric Rehabilitation. 2004;7(4):245–260.
28. Lee S, Kim MS, Suh JK. Effects of horticultural therapy of self-esteem and depression of battered women at a Shelter in Korea: Acta Horticulture. 2008. p.139–142.
29. Vera, M, Angst F, Beck T, Lehmann S, Brioschi R, Schneiter R, et al. Horticultural Therapy for Patients With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: Alternative therapies in health and medicine. 2012;18:44–50.
30. Gigliotti, C, Jarrott S, Yorgason J. Harvesting Health Effects of Three Types of Horticultural Therapy Activities for Persons with Dementia. Dementia. 2004;3:161–180.
31. Park SH, Mattson RH. Ornamental indoor plants in hospital rooms enhanced health outcomes of patients recovering from surgery. J Alt Compliment Med. 2009; 15(9):978.
32. Kobashi S, Hata Y, Ishikawa O, Asano F. Horticultural therapy has beneficial effects on brain functions in cerebrovascular diseases: Int J Intell Comput Med Sci Image Processing. 2008;2(3):169.
33. Judie A. A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Horticulture Therapy on Depression among Institutionalized Elderly in Selected Old Age Homes, Kancheepuram: J Nursing & Health Sci. 2016;2(1):24.
34. Moshfeghi G, Rezabakhsh H, Danesh E. Effectiveness of horticulture therapy on depression: Advances in nursing and midwifery. 2015;24:86.
35. Gonzalez MT, Hartig T, Patil GG, Martinsen EW, Kirkevold M. Therapeutic horticulture in clinical depression: a prospective study. Res Theory Nurse Practice. 2009;23(4):312–328.
36. Relf D. Dynamics of horticultural therapy. Rehabil Lit. 1981 May–Jun;42(5–6):147–50. PMID: 7268166.
37. Browning P, Lehmann J, Rhoades C. The usage of the Individualized Written Rehabilitation Program with mentally retarded clients. J Rehabil. 1983 Jul–Sep;49(3):65–8. PMID: 6631854.
38. Nalini M. Study on the prevalence of depression among institutionalized elderly and the effect of horticulture therapy in selected old age homes in Mangalore. RGUHS. 2006:8–9.
39. United Nations. Depression: A Global Crisis. 2012. Available online at: https://tai.ee/sites/default/files/2021-03/138062227459_Depression_A_Glo… (accessed December 22, 2022).
40. Magus. Gardening can life your self-esteem. Cultivating Health and Mental well being 2001;143(6):553–61.
41. Hill OC. Activities Adoptations activity in Geriatric Institutions. Therapeutic Recreation News and Articles; 2002. p. 1–14.
42. Xu M, Lu S, Liu J, Xu F. Effectiveness of horticultural therapy in aged people with depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Public Health. 2023 Mar 8;11:1142456. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1142456. PMID: 36969640; PMCID: PMC10031070.
43. Rani, D. Effectiveness of horticulture therapy on depression among elderly at selected old-age home in Madurai. 2015.
