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Objective: The objective of the study was to provide support to Alzheimer's disease (AD) caregiver in coping with the difficulties of acquiring knowledge on the disease and of providing care to the patient. The effects of psychodramatic group therapy on the mental symptoms and care burden were examined. Methods: Patient relatives who participated in the Denizli Alzheimer Association activities also took part in the study. Psychiatric examinations of the participants were carried out prior to group therapy, sociodemographic data form and scales were applied. A total of 11 sessions for the first group and 12 second for the second group were carried out as 1 day per week for a period of 2-2.5 hours. A total of 11 individuals completed the first group and 9 individuals completed the second group. Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HAD), Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) were applied before and after group therapy. Results: All participants of the first group were female with an age interval of 46-65 years. They were all children of the patients excluding two participants and majority was high school-university graduates. It was determined after group therapy that HAD total and anxiety scores, CBI total and social burden scores decreased. The age interval of the second group participants was 53-83 years and the only male member was also the oldest individual to take part in the study. They were all spouses of the patients excluding two members and all were primary school graduates save for 1 literate member. No statistically significant difference was observed between the scale scores before and after group therapy. It was observed when the two groups were evaluated together that there were statistically significant decreases in HAD and total anxiety scores, CBI total score but that there were no changes in the other scores. Group studies started with the establishment of group rules, going over the expectations from groups and warm-up games. Psychodramatic techniques were used to gamify issues such as the symptoms of the disease, frequently experienced behavioral problems, difficulties related with caregiving and methods for coping with them, things that can be experienced as the disease progresses, communication problems within the family, inability to ask for help regarding caregiving, placing in a care center. Participation to the groups was regular and the members were quite supportive. Patient relatives had the opportunity to share the difficulties they experience as well as to express their emotions. Conclusion: Psychoeducation on AD caregiver relatives reduces anxiety symptoms and care burden in addition to providing mental support. Our results lead us to think that when caregivers are spouses of the patients, they feel the burden of caregiving more since they are also elderly and that they cannot benefit sufficiently from sources of support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Amaç: Bu çalışmada, depresyon tanılı yaşlı hastaların sosyodemografik ve klinik özelliklerinin in-celenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Yöntem: Ocak 2008 ve Aralık 2009 tarihleri arasında Pamukkale Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi yaşlılık psikiyatrisi polikliniğinde izlenen 60 yaş üstü hastaların dosyaları geriye dönük incelenmiş, depres-yon tanılı 46 hasta çalışmaya alınmıştır. Bulgular: Hastaların %65.2'si kadın, %54.3'ü ev hanımı, %48.8'i ilkokul mezunu, %67.4'ü kent-sel yerleşimli, %73.9'u evliydi. Yaş ortalaması: 68.70±5.57, eğitim yılı ortalaması 4,16±3,85 idi. Has-taların çoğunluğunun (%84.8) ilk depresif nöbetiydi. Altı hastaya tekrarlayıcı depresyon, 1 hasta-ya distimik bozukluk tanısı konulmuştu. Hastaların %78.3'ünde belirgin bir stres etmeni olduğu belirlendi. Stres etmenleri en fazla eşin hastalığı, kendinde fiziksel hastalık ve eş kaybı olarak bil-dirilmişti. Hastaların %58.5'inde kronik fiziksel hastalık mevcuttu. Yirmi beş hastaya Standardize Mini Mental Test Ölçeği (SMMT) uygulandığı saptandı (ort: 25.20±4.16). SMMT puanları ile eğitim yılı arasında pozitif korelasyon olduğu belirlendi. Sonuç ve Tartişma: Depresyon tanısı konulan yaşlı hastaların çoğunluğunun kadın, evli, kentsel yerleşimli, ilkokul mezunu oldukları, ilk defa depresif nöbet geçirdikleri ve belirgin bir stres et-menlerinin bulunduğu tespit edilmiştir. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the sociodemographic characteristics and cli-nical features of elderly patients diagnosed with depression. Method: Over 60 years age patients' medical records, who applied to geropsychiatry polyclinic evaluated retrospectively at the Pamukkale University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychi-atry. Forty six patients diagnosed with depression were taken into the study. Findings: Of the patients 65.2% were female, 54.3% were housewives, 48.8% were primary scho-ol graduates, 67.4% lived in urban and 73.9% were married. Average age was 68.70±5.57; avera-ge years of education were 4.16±3.85. For the majority of the patients (%84.8) this was the first depression episode. Six patients had already been diagnosed with recurrent depression and 1 patient with dysthymic disorder. A distinct stress factor was determined for 78.3% of the patients. The most specified stress factors were illness of the spouse, physical illness and loss of spouse. Of the patients 58.5% had a chronic physical illness. It was determined that Standardized Mini Men-tal Test Scale (SMMT) was applied to 25 patients (average: 25.20±4.16). There is a positive corre-lation between the SMMT points and the years of education. Conclusion and Discussion: It was determined that most of the patients diagnosed with dep-ression were female, married, lived in urban, were primary school graduates, had their first dep-ressive episode and that there was distinct stress factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate frequency of psychiatric disorders and severity of depression in obese women. Method: The sample was consisted of 55 obese women consecutively admitted to the endocrinology outpatient clinic, Body Mass Index (BMI) 30 and over and without chronic physical disease. Control group was formed of 55 women that same age group, BMI 25 and under and without chronic physical disease. Structured psychiatric interview (SCID-I) according to the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria were performed all individuals participating in the study. The severity of depression were assessed by the Hamilton Rating of Depression Scale (HAM-D17). Results: It was determined that mean age 41.07±10.00 years in obese group, 43.38± 7.38 years in control group. There was no difference between the two groups. BMI was higher in obese women than the control group (respectively 37.38±6.75, 22.26±1.91). The prevalence of psychiatric disorders was higher in the obese subjects than the control group (respectively 60% n=33, 9.1% n=5). Mood disorders and anxiety disorders were the most found diagnosed in obese group in present and lifetime. HAMD17 scores of obese subjects were significantly higher than the control group. Conclusion: In our study, women who seek treatment for obesity, the prevalence of psychiatric disorders are higher than normal-weight women. Our results support the existence of the relationship between obesity and psychopathology. Psychiatric evaluation is necessary obese women who seek treatment for obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]