Effects of exercise on depressive symptoms among nursing home residents: a meta-analysis. (14th July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Lixiang; Luo, Jing; Reangsing, Chuntana; Schneider, Joanne Kraenzle
• Is Part Of: Aging & mental health. Volume 26:Number 8(2022)
• Page Start: 1514
• Page End: 1523
• Publication Date: 2022-07-14
• Subjects: Exercise -- depression -- older adults -- nursing homes -- meta-analysis; Older people -- Mental health -- Periodicals; Geriatric psychiatry -- Periodicals; Older people -- Psychology -- Periodicals; Aging -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Aged -- psychology -- periodicals; Mental Health -- periodicals; Mental Health Services -- periodicals; Aging -- psychology -- periodicals; Aged, 80 and over -- psychology -- periodicals; 618.97689
• DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2021.1951658
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1360-7863

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: We examined the effects of exercise on depression in older adults living in nursing homes and explored the moderator effects of participants, methods, and intervention characteristics. Methods: We searched 8 databases from inception to January 2020 without date restrictions. We retrieved primary studies measuring exercise with 60-year-olds with depression that were written in English. Two researchers independently coded each primary study and compared codes for discrepancies. They consulted a third researcher to come to consensus. We used random-effects model to compute effect sizes using Hedges' g, a forest plot, and Q and I 2 statistics as measures of heterogeneity. We also examined moderator analyses. Results: Twenty-one studies included 2, 594 participants (81.8 ± 4.8 years old). Overall, exercise showed a small improvement in depression compared to controls (ES=.25; 95%CI 0.11, 0.38; p =.000). Interestingly, interventionists by physiotherapists had a smaller effect on depressive symptoms (.04) than other health interventionists (.37). As people aged, exercise was less effective in reducing depression (slope=-.03, Qmodel =5.03, p =.025). Researchers who included a higher percentage of women in exercise showed less improvement of depression ( slope =-.01, Qmodel =8.60, p =.003). Also, when researchers used depression scales with higher reliability values, they measured higher levels of depression (slope = 5.48, Qmodel =5.60, p =.018). No other quality indicators moderated the effects of exercise on depression. Conclusion: Exercise significantly improved depressive symptoms among older adults in nursing homes. Exercise might be used as adjunct/alternative complementary treatment for improving depressive symptoms in older adults in nursing homes.