“Prevalencia de funcionalidad familiar en adultos mayores deprimidos de las Parroquias Guapán y San Miguel de Porotos, noviembre 2022 – abril 2023”

Abstract

Family functionality is related to the family type where the older adult lives; it limits the required care, causing depression and worsening the clinical picture. Objective: To determine the family functionality prevalence in depressed older adults in Guapán and San Miguel de Porotos parishes to generate public policies to increase family functionality. Methodology: Qualitative-quantitative, observational, analytical, and cross-sectional, correlational study; the sample was 274 older adults from Guapán parish and 216 from San Miguel de Porotos parish; two instruments were applied: The Perceived Family Functionality Scale (Family APGAR) and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Results: Of the participants, 24.3% were older women, 26.5% were married, and 25.4% were from rural areas, 26.9% had primary education, 36.3% were Catholic, and 22% had a compound family type. A correlation between family functionality and depression (p=.001) was determined. It was found that family functionality in Guapán presented X̅= 19.4 points and in San Miguel de Porotos an X̅= 21.6 points; depression in Guapán an X̅=41.2 points and in San Miguel X̅= 40.4 points. Conclusion: Older adults in the two parishes tend to suffer from depression because of the family circle in which they live or because they have a dysfunctional family.