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Relationship between aggressive behaviors and depression among nursing home residents with dementia
A S Menon1, A L Gruber-Baldini, J R Hebel
1Mental Health Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care Center, MD, USA.
Background:
Verbal and physical aggression are common behavior problems among nursing home residents with dementia. Depression among nursing home residents is also a common but underdiagnosed disorder.
Method:
Data collected on 1101 residents with dementia, newly admitted to a sample of 59 nursing homes across Maryland, were analyzed to determine if there was a relationship between depression and physical and verbal aggression.
Results:
Residents with dementia who manifested physical or verbal aggression had a higher prevalence of depression than those without such behaviors (p<0.05).
Conclusions:
Our findings suggest that nursing home residents with aggressive behaviors should be screened for depression and treated.
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