Gordana Kamenečki's research while affiliated with Hospital For Medical Rehabilitation Krapinske Toplice and other places

Background: Loneliness has become a growing public health problem. Adult people who live with chronic health problems often experience more severe consequences of this condition. The purpose of this research is to determine the level of loneliness and differences in dimensions of loneliness in adults living with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Methods: The study was conducted in the Magdalena Clinic for Cardiovascular Diseases. The selected sample consisted of a group of patients admitted for short-term hospital treatment. The data were collected using the 11-item De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (DJGLS). Differences in outcomes with respect to gender, educational level and marital, work and living status, as well as medical diagnoses of the participants, were compared using the Kruskal–Wallis test or the Mann–Whitney U test. Spearman’s rho coefficient was used to analyze the correlation between the independent variables and the total score on different categories of loneliness. Results: A moderate level of loneliness (SD = 3.53; M = 3.0) was determined in almost half of the participants (N = 52; 49.1%). A statistically significant positive correlation was confirmed in the relationship between the emotional dimension of loneliness and the gender of the participants. The participants that had a lower education level showed a higher level of emotional loneliness, but also a higher overall level of loneliness. The age of the participants correlated negatively with the level of social loneliness (rho = −0.029). Conclusions: Loneliness is present among adults living with cardiovascular diseases in different dimensions and intensity. Although the connection between loneliness and health outcomes needs to be further investigated, the negative impact of this psychosocial problem on cardiovascular health cannot be ignored.

The presence of chronic disease and lack of social support have negative impact on functional capacity in later life. The aim of this study was to determine the possible connections between the alteration in functional abilities and access to sources of social support with the occurrence of depression in elderly persons with chronic disease. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 151 subjects with cardiovascular diseases at the age of 60 and above using standardized questionnaires. Groningen Activity Restriction Scale (GARS), Duke-UNC Functional Social Support Questionnaire (FSSQ), and Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form (GDS) were used to identify the presence of limitations in functional status, availability of social support and symptoms of depression. Multivariate binary logistic regression model was used to assess multivariate influence of significant variables on inclusion in the indicative depression group. Spearman’s rho coefficient was used to analyze correlation between GARS, GDS and FSSQ. GDS score ≥10 (indicative depression) was obtained by 15 (9.9%) participants and scores in the range 6–9 (suspected depression) by 21 (13.9%) participants. There were no significant correlations between the scores on the depression assessment scale and the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants. Binary logistic regression showed that with GARS increasing by a single unit, the chance of having depression significantly rises by 7% (OR: 1.07, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01–1.13; P=0.013) while when FSSQ increases by a single unit, that chance drops nearly 2.5 times (OR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.23–0.70; P=0.001). The development of functional limitations and reduced level of social support are connected with the occurrence of depression. Creation of programs that will encourage the preservation of functional independence and enable effective social assistance can make a significant contribution to maintaining the mental health of elderly persons with chronic diseases.