Journal of Korean Gerontological Nursing 2011;13(1):29-36.

노인의 영적안녕, 영적요구 및 우울 간의 관계

송민선, 김남초

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of this study was to describe status of spiritual well-being, spiritual needs and depression in community-dwelling elders, and to identify the relationships between the variables, spiritual well-being, spiritual need, depression and general characteristics.
Methods
This study included 138 elderly women. Spiritual wellbeing, spiritual need and depression are measured structured questionnaires each. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using t-test, ANOVA.
Results
There were significant differences in religious well-being according to gender (p =.001), religion (p<.001) and spouse (p =.040). There were significant differences in existential well-being according to gender (p =.025) and number of chronic disease (p =.013). There were significant differences in spiritual need according to education (p =.039), religion (p<.001), and spouse (p =.006). Also, there was a significant difference in depression according to number of chronic diseases (p =.015).
Conclusion
The results indicate that elders with positive spiritual well-being were less depressed. Thus, when nurses care for rural elders, they need to consider not only the physical condition but also the spiritual condition and they need to provide spiritual care for elders.

Key words: 노인, 영적 안녕, 영적 요구, 우울