Emotional dysfunction in a geriatric population: staff observations and patients' reports

This study was designed to determine the following about a geriatric rehabilitation population: (1) the relationship between patients' self-reports of depression and anxiety and staff observations of compromised participation in treatment secondary to emotional dysfunction; (2) the relationship of observations among different disciplines; and (3) changes that may occur to staff observations during the patient's hospitalization. The Geriatric Depression Scale, the depression and anxiety subtests of the Brief Symptom Inventory, and the Modified Mini-Mental State Exam were administered to geriatric patients on admission to and discharge from two DRG-exempt acute rehabilitation units. In addition, day nurses, evening nurses, occupational therapists, and physical therapists rated the same geriatric patients on how frequently their emotional functioning interfered with rehabilitation. Significant correlations were obtained between staff observations and patients' reports of emotional dysfunction, with occupational therapists' ratings generally the most highly correlated with patients' reports. At admission, day and evening nurses reported significantly greater patient emotional dysfunction than did occupational therapists, who reported significantly greater emotional dysfunction than did physical therapists. These differences, however, were not evident by time of discharge. Thus, staff members can provide reliable information to mental health professionals in determining the effect of emotional functioning on rehabilitation participation. However, level of compromised participation secondary to emotional dysfunction reported by staff appears to be contingent on which rehabilitation discipline is asked and when during the patient's hospitalization the inquiry is made. Also, patients who generally participated less in treatment tended to be older, depressed women with less education and greater cognitive impairment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)