Philadelphia Geriatric Morale Scale in essential tremor: A population-based study in three Spanish communities
✍ Scribed by Elan D. Louis; Julián Benito-León; Félix Bermejo-Pareja
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2008
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 75 KB
- Volume
- 23
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0885-3185
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✦ Synopsis
Abstract
Essential tremor (ET) is associated with both functional disability and depression. Each could contribute to a poor sense of well‐being and low morale. We hypothesized that morale would be lower in ET cases than controls. Using a population‐based, cross‐sectional design, morale was assessed in 187 ET cases and 561 matched controls living in three communities in central Spain using the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (PGCMS) (range = 0 [low morale]–17), which included three‐dimensions of psychological well‐being: agitation, lonely dissatisfaction, and attitude toward own aging. The PGCMS score was lower in ET cases than controls (9.41 ± 3.21 vs. 10.39 ± 2.92, P < 0.001), as were the Agitation subscore (3.17 ± 1.71 vs. 3.78 ± 1.67, P< 0.001) and Lonely Dissatisfaction subscore (3.75 ± 1.34 vs. 4.02 ± 1.24, P < 0.05). Nearly one‐half of the ET cases were classified as having low morale compared with only one‐third of controls (P = 0.006). In a linear regression analysis adjusting for demographic factors and multiple comorbid conditions, ET cases had a lower log PGCMS score than controls (P < 0.001). Exclusion of participants on antidepressant medication did not change the results. Our results indicate that morale is significantly lower in community‐dwelling ET cases than in matched controls. This lower morale could in part be a proxy for mild, untreated depression. It therefore seems important to detect and then possibly treat this problem to improve the psychological well‐being of patients with this disease. © 2008 Movement Disorder Society