@article{ref1,
title="The relationship between worthlessness and mortality in a large cohort of Chinese elderly men",
journal="International psychogeriatrics / IPA",
year="2011",
author="Wong, Samuel Y. and Leung, Jason C. and Woo, Jean",
volume="23",
number="4",
pages="609-615",
abstract="BACKGROUND: This study explored the relationship between &quot;worthlessness&quot; and all cause non-suicide mortality in Chinese elderly men. METHODS: Data from interviews of 1999 men aged 65 years and over were collected. Clinically significant depressive symptoms were measured using the validated Chinese version of Geriatric Depression Scale. &quot;Worthlessness&quot; was defined by one of the 15 questions from the Geriatric Depression Scale with a yes/no response. All-cause mortality over six years was collected using data from the National Death Registry with adjudication by 4-monthly telephone interviews. Two men were excluded after suicide death. RESULTS: Age-adjusted mortality rates at five years were 44.3 and 23.9 per 1,000 person years for those who felt &quot;worthless&quot; and those did not, respectively. The adjusted relative risk for all-cause mortality associated with feeling worthless was 1.34 (95% CI: 1.02-1.76) after adjusting for potential confounders that included age, marital status, education, smoking, alcohol consumption, number of chronic diseases, self-rated health, body mass index, cognitive status, physical activity, occupation and maximum lifetime income. There was no statistically significant association between other depressive symptoms or overall depression and mortality. CONCLUSION: Worthlessness may be independently associated with all-cause mortality in Chinese elderly men.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1041-6102",
doi="10.1017/S1041610210000724",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1041610210000724"
}