The Sense of Coherence, Self-Perception of Aging and the Occurrence of Depression Among the Participants of the University of the Third Age Depending on Socio-Demographic Factors

• Main Authors: Zielińska-Więczkowska H, Sas K
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2020-08-01
• Series: Clinical Interventions in Aging
• Subjects: sense of coherence (soc); self-perception of aging; depression; socio-demographic factors; university of the third age (u3a)
• Online Access: https://www.dovepress.com/the-sense-of-coherence-self-perception-of-aging-and-the-occurrence-of--peer-reviewed-article-CIA
• ISSN: 1178-1998

Halina Zielińska-Więczkowska, Katarzyna Sas Department of Social and Medical Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Bydgoszcz, PolandCorrespondence: Katarzyna SasDepartment of Social and Medical Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, ul Świętojańska 20, Bydgoszcz 85077, PolandEmail [e-mail]: The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between the sense of coherence and self-perception of aging and the risk of depression among attendees of the University of the Third Age (U3A). The influence of socio-demographic factors was studied.Participants and Methods: The study involved 315 attendees of the U3A aged on average 68.4 years, age range 60– 82 years old. The overwhelming majority were women (91.7%). Cross-sectional research was conducted using standardized questionnaires – the SOC-29 scale, the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS – brief version) and the author’s own questionnaire regarding self-perception of aging.Results: The study participants showed an average level of sense of coherence (130.7± 23.2). The highest number of people obtained average results of sense of coherence, both in terms of global SOC (75.2%) and its components. The highest scores on the SOC-29 scale were found for the sense of comprehensibility (41.3%). The mean value of the self-perception of aging was 69.0± 16.0 and indicates the lower range of results for positive attitude. Nearly ¾ (72.1%) of the respondents had a positive self-perception of aging. The values of the scale of self-perception of aging showed a statistically significant relation to the global level of sense of coherence and its components (p< 0.001). In people without depression, positive self-perception of aging was significantly more frequent than among participants with depression of increasing intensity. Education was significantly correlated with the results of the SOC-29 scale, the self-perception of aging scale and the GDS scale.Conclusion: From the U3A research group, better educated elderly people have a higher sense of coherence and show a more positive self-perception of aging. Moreover, these people are less likely to show signs of senile depression.Keywords: sense of coherence, SOC, self-perception of aging, depression, socio-demographic factors, University of the Third Age, U3A