فصلنامه سالمند
پیاپی 54 (تابستان 1398)

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common diseases among older people that although does not directly lead to mortality, is one the leading causes of disability in older people. A variety of medical and surgical treatments are available based on the severity of OA that usually are costly with possible harsh side effects. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Melilotous Officinalis oil on the physical function of older adults with mild to moderate primary knee osteoarthritis.
Methods & Materials: The participants were 61(35 women, 26 men) older adults aged ≥60 years (Mean±SD: 78±7.79, range: 63-94, median: 81 y), residing in one nursing home who were clinically diagnosed with mild to moderate osteoarthritis based on grade 1-3 Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) grading scale by an orthopedist. Then, based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the participants were randomly assigned to one intervention group (n=34) who received of Melilotous Officinalis oil and one control group (n=27) who used Diclofenac Sodium Gel. The participants’ data including their demographic information, the severity of OA based on WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index), and pain intensity based on Visual Analogous Scale (VAS) were collected at baseline, Two weeks, and four weeks after starting the intervention. The collected data were entered in SPSS version 23 and analyzed.
There were no statistically significant differences between the intervention and control group in terms of sociodemographic variables at baseline. The physical function of the participants improved significantly in both the intervention group and control group (F2,58=20.4, P<0.001). However, the effect size was considerably higher in the intervention group (0.88) compared to the control group (0.36). No special adverse effect was reported during the study.
Melilotous Officinalis oil can improve function more than Diclofenac gel in older people with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis. Therefore, using Melilotous Officinalis oil is suggested for improving the physical function of people with osteoarthritis. Future studies are recommended to study to determine the exact dose of Melilotous Officinalis oil and its mechanisms of action on the physical function.

Objectives Death Anxiety is prevalent among people, and it is more prominent in the middle and late stages of life. Furthermore, the increasing number of elderly and consequently, their growing residence in nursing homes have impacted their mental health. The prevalence rate of death anxiety in up to (16%)in people; while (3.3%) of them are suffering from severe types of it. The present study determined the relationship between the fear of death, and religious beliefs, as well as mental disorders in the elderly living in nursing homes. 
Methods & Materials One-hundred elderly (61% females and 39% males), with the Mean±SD age of 70.88±8.93 years living in nursing homes in Karaj City, Iran were studied. They were non-randomly and voluntarily selected to participate in this correlational study. The research tools included Templer Death Anxiety Scale (DAS, 1970), SCL90 neurological, intellectual and emotional dysfunction inventory, and Golriz-Barahani religious attitude questionnaire. Furthermore, Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression techniques were adopted for data analysis. The obtained data were analyzed in SPSS.
Results The Mean±SD scores of death anxiety, religious beliefs, and mental disorders in the elderly population at nursing homes in Karaj were respectively 6.30±3.12, 16.04±3.88 and 99.51±57.96. No relationship was observed between death anxiety and religious beliefs. Additionally, Pearson’s correlation coefficient suggested a significant inverse relationship between religious beliefs, psychosis, and obsession. Furthermore, the findings suggested a significant correlation between the fear of death and religious beliefs in older adults with mental disorders. Moreover, the correlation coefficient between the fear of death and mental disorders was 0.499 (r=0.499, P<0.01); suggesting a significant correlation between these variables. Thus, the higher the death-anxiety level in the elderly, the more their mental disorders will be. 
Conclusion  It is possible to reduce the occurrence or intensification of mental disorders. This could be done by arranging and implementing psychological programs to diminish death anxiety in the elderly.

Psychological wellbeing can affect the various aspects of the life of older people. Most studies confirm that religiosity is associated with psychological wellbeing. However, the causes of this relation are unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the mediating role of death anxiety and self-compassion in the relationship between religiosity and psychological wellbeing.
Methods & Materials: To investigate the purpose of the study, a total of 300 older people of Kermanshah were selected by simple random sampling method. The questionnaires of mini-mental state examination, religious orientation, self-compassion, death anxiety, and psychological well-being were used as research tools. To analyze the data, SPSS V. 23 was used to estimate descriptive and correlational indices, and AMOS V. 23 was used for structural equation modeling.
Based on the study results, the causal relationship model between religious orientation, self-compassion, death anxiety, and psychological wellbeing are confirmed based on various fitting indices. Therefore, religiosity has a direct relationship with psychological well-being. Besides, self-compassion and death anxiety can mediate this relationship.
Religiosity can greatly affect the psychological wellbeing of the elderly by decreasing the anxiety of death and increasing self-compassion. Therefore, in explaining the relationship between religiosity and psychological wellbeing, attention to the critical role of self-compassion and reduction of death anxiety are among the desirable methods for preventing mental health problems in the elderly.

The primary purpose of this study was to compare the social health and quality of life of the older people resident in nursing homes with non-resident elderlies in Tehran City, Iran, in 2015.
Methods & Materials: In this descriptive-analytic study with a cross-sectional design, 434 older people, both resident and non-resident in nursing homes took part. The cluster sampling method was used for selecting nursing home resident elderlies and convenient sampling method for non-resident elderlies. Three tools of Keyes Social Health Scale, Elderly Quality of Life Questionnaire (LIPAD), and a demographic questionnaire were used to measure the variables. After sampling and gathering the questionnaires, the collected data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential indexes of the Chi-squared test, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, and the Independent t-test in SPSS.
A total of 217 elderlies resident in nursing homes (144 female and 73 male) and 217 non-resident elderlies (132 female and 85 male) took part in the study. Two groups were matched for gender, age, and education (P>0.05) but marriage status (P<0.05). Findings showed that the Mean±SD social health scores for resident and non-resident elderlies in nursing homes were respectively 45.92±7.87 and 47.25±8.91, and there was no significant difference between two groups (P>0.05). The Mean±SD quality of life scores for resident and non-resident elderlies in nursing homes were respectively 27.88±9.80 and 31.81±10.79, and there was a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05).
According to study results, the resident and non-resident elderlies in nursing homes of Tehran had low and medium social health and quality of life, respectively. In addition, residency at nursing homes was not an effective factor for elderly social health; however, it was an effective factor for the quality of life of older people.

Iran population is aging, and there is no group more than the elderly suffers from physical and social problems. Since disabilities, physical weakness, neurological sensory deficits, death of relatives, stress, and problems create the feeling of disappointment in this group; this study aimed to investigate the life expectancy structural equation modeling among the elderly based on the anxiety sensitivity, social support, and pain perception.
Methods & Materials: The research was a modeling study, with an analytical cross-sectional design, which was conducted in the spring of 2016. The study population included all older males and females aged ≥60 years who were living at home. The study sample consisted of 340 older people, selected from different public places in Isfahan City, Iran. They answered the expectancy questionnaire based on Shalamzari Islamic sources, Zimt perceived social support, Reese and  Peterson anxiety sensitivity, and the researcher-made pain perception by Joseph and associates. The collected data were analyzed by the Pearson correlation coefficient, regression analyses, structural equation modeling, and fit indexes in AMOS V. 21 and SPSS V. 16. 
The average age of the participants was 66.91 years. Their Mean±SD life expectancy, perception of pain, anxiety sensitivity, and social support scores were respectively 50.51±5.71, 39.48±15.71, 40.20± 12.59, 63.91±14.62. Their Mean±SD scores of fear of body image concerns, fear of losing cognitive control, and fear of their anxiety being watched by others were respectively 20.54±9.60, 10.06±7.69, and 3.25±3.01. Also, their Mean±SD scores of family, friends, and significant others were respectively 12.69±5.61, 20.19±5.46, and 22.06±6.83. The results indicate that and life expectancy had a significant positive correlation with only social support and its three subscales of families, friends, and significant others (P<0.01). Besides, the fear of losing cognitive control showed a strong negative correlation with life expectancy (P<0.05). However, pain perception, anxiety sensitivity, fear of body image concern, and fear of their anxiety being watched by others did not show a significant relationship with life expectancy.
According to the results, if measures were taken to increase social support in the elderly, their pain and anxiety would be reduced, and life expectancy increased.

Sleep is one of the basic needs of every human being. Considering the factors affecting this area is of particular importance. The present study compares the negative emotional components, including rumination, worry, arousal anxiety in older people with sleep problems, and those with normal sleep. 
Methods & Materials: This research is a causal-comparative study. The study population consisted of older people living in Tehran City in 2016. The study samples were selected by the convenience sampling method and based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The inclusion criteria included being ≥60 years old, lacking severe illnesses and disorders (whether physical and psychological). The exclusion criterion included the unwillingness to continue study at each stage. Of 200 older people participating in the study, 131 individuals were included in the study after group matching based on demographic variables. Pittsburgh sleep quality index, ruminative responses scale questionnaire, Pennsylvania state worry questionnaire, mood and anxiety symptom questionnaire, and anxious arousal scale were used to collect the study data. The reliability of the tools was also evaluated. The obtained data were analyzed by descriptive statistics of frequency, mean and by inferential statistics of the Chi-square, Man-Whitney U, and Independent t test in SPSS V. 18.
The Mean±SD age of the subjects was 68.5±6.78 years, respectively. The mean scores of rumination were 54.039 in the elderly group with poor sleep quality and 44.919 in the group with normal sleep quality. Also, the mean scores of worry were 53.875 and 46.024 in the poor and normal sleep quality group, respectively. Finally, the mean arousal anxiety scores were 55.080 and 43.772 in the poor and normal sleep quality group, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean values of the two groups in terms of research variables (P<0.001).
According to the study results, rumination, worry, and arousal anxiety have a negative effect on the quality of sleep. Focusing on these negative emotional components as risk factors for the emergence and continuation of sleep disturbances can be useful in designing preventive interventions for sleep problems and reducing psychological disorders.

In the last decade, researchers have studied factors and conditions related to psychological health in older people. Financial abuse is one of the factors associated with psychological health of older people. The present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between financial abuse and mental health in older people living in Shahr-e Kord City, Iran.
Methods & Materials: This a descriptive-correlational study, conducted on 350 older people referring to health centers in Shahr-e Kord City. The study data were collected with Goldberg mental health questionnaire (GHQ-28) and the Persian version of Older Adults Financial Exploitation Measure (OAFEM). The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics in SPSS v. 22.
About (63.1%) of the participants were male, and (36.9%) were female. Also, 30% of the participants had favorable mental health, (37.7%) had moderate mental health, and (32.3%) poor mental health. Finally, (61.4%) of the participants experienced moderate financial abuse and (38.6%) severe financial abuse. There was a significant correlation between mental health and financial abuse (P<0.05).
According to the study results, financial abuse affects mental health. Therefore, we suggest that authorities provide proper interventions for increasing older people’s awareness of financial abuse and accordingly reducing their financial abuse.

Older people are a vulnerable group that their undesirable nutritional status makes them susceptible to catch diseases and increase their health costs. This study was conducted to determine the nutritional status of older people in nursing homes of Shahroud and Damghan cities (Semnan Province) and some influential factors in 2017.

This cross-sectional study (analytical descriptive type) was carried out in nursing homes of Shahroud and Damghan cities using census sampling method. By using a demographic questionnaire, minimal nutrition assessment, and anthropometric evaluation by the researcher, the data of 129 older people were collected. Then the obtained data were analyzed by the Chi-square, 1-way ANOVA, and Independent t-test in SPSS. The significance level was set at 0.05.

The Mean±SD age of the participants was 75.44±10.56 years. In terms of nutritional status, (22.5%) of the subjects had malnutrition, (57.4%) malnutrition risk, and (20.2%) a good nutritional status. There was a statistically significant relationship between the nutritional status and variables of sex and age, income, smoking, body mass index, arthritis, urinary problems, and using mass media (P<0.05). 

The nutritional status of a few participants was desirable. So, today's older people nutritional status is far from acceptable standards and requires planning and serious consideration of relevant organizations, especially the health system.

Objectives Concerning the high prevalence of insomnia disorder in the elderly population and its effect on their quality of life, this study aimed to examine the effect of Holy Quran recitation on the quality of sleep of older adults in nursing homes.
Methods & Materials The participants of this clinical trial study were 65 older people from a nursing home in Malayer City, Iran. They were randomized to either the experimental (n=33) or the control (n=32) group. The participants in the experimental group listened to Holy Quran recitation for 20 minutes before sleep every night for 4 weeks. The data were collected using the Pittsburgh sleep quality index and were analyzed using parametric (dependent and independent samples t-test) and non-parametric (Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney) tests and covariance analysis.
Results The Mean±SD ages of the older people were 73.97±9.91 years in the experimental group and 64.53±12.75 years in the control group. The results of covariance showed a significant difference between the experimental and control groups after listening to the Holy Quran recitation (P<0,001). Furthermore, in the experimental group, the Mean±SD scores of total quality of sleep (from 9.27±3.37 to 6.60±3.87) and its two subscales of habitual sleep efficiency ( from 2.94±0.35 to 0.63±1.25) and daytime dysfunction (from 0.33±0.54 to 0.39±0.50) improved significantly (P< 0.05).
Conclusion The results of the present study showed that listening to the Holy Quran recitation could be a useful factor in the promotion of the quality of sleep in the elderly. Therefore, using this easy, cost-effective, and valuable strategy is recommended for the improvement of the quality of sleep among the elderly.

The prevalence of insomnia in the elderly population is 50% to 70%. Since sleep hygiene education is the basic treatment for any type of sleep disorder, this study aimed to determine the effect of sleep hygiene education on the quality of sleep and general health of the elderly women aged 60-70 years with sleep disorders in Birjand City, Iran, in 2016.
Methods & Materials: This study is a clinical trial. The study sample comprised 84 women who met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled in the study by systematic random sampling. If the elderly had a sleep disorder based on the score of the insomnia severity index, she would be included in the intervention or control group. The data gathering tools were the Pittsburgh sleep quality index and general health questionnaire, which participants completed before training and then 4 weeks later. The obtained data were analyzed in SPSS V. 21.
There was no significant difference in demographic data other than age, which was 64±3.3 years in the intervention group and 62±2.7 years in the control group. There were significant differences between the intervention and control groups in the mean scores of sleep quality, severe insomnia, and public health after the intervention (P<0.001).
According to the results of this study, sleep hygiene education can improve sleep quality, the severity of insomnia, and general health of older women. Therefore, it can be used as an affordable and accessible therapeutic approach.