SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE, DEPRESSION AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE ELDERLY IN MOJOKERTO, EAST JAVA

Abstract

BACKGROUND : Elderly experience physical infirmity, brain devolution, slow metabolic rate, slow cell replacement, which eventually have inadvertent impact on cognitive capability, emotional stability, and social interaction. These natural changes may cause depression in the elderly. Spiritual experience may improve coping strategy, lower depression, and enhance quality of life. This study aimed to estimate the relationship between spiritual experience, depression, and quality of life of elderly. SUBJECT AND METHODS : This was a cross sectional study, conducted in Mojokerto, East Java. A sample of 100 elderly was selected by random sampling from 18 villages in Mojokerto . The exogenous variables in this study was the spiritual experience, which was measured by a set of questionnaire. The endogenous mediating variable was the rate of depression, which was measured by Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). The quality of life in the elderly was measured by Index Barthel. Psychological wellbeing and social relationships were measured by a structured questionnaire. The relationship among variables were estimated using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) run in AMOS. RESULTS : The spiritual experience had negative effect on depression, and it was statistically significant (p = 0.004). Larger spiritual experience reduced depression level. In turn depression level had negative effect on quality of life, and it was statistically significant (p = 0.003). Deeper depression reduced quality of life. CONCLUSION : Spiritual experience, appraisal and depression has positively significant influence on quality of life, but appraisal was not as predictor to depression. If the spiritual experience of elderly good, the elderly do not occur depression without any perception of elderly appraisal to stressor. Efforts to repair the quality of life for the elderly by improving the spiritual experience and appraisal to stressor positively.