Normative stressors and psychological well-being among older Lebanese in the context of a post-war environment

This study utilizes cross-sectional data and the Life Stress Paradigm in order to investigate the relationship between recent life event stressors and current depressive symptomatology for a sample of Lebanese adults, aged 60 years and older, residing within three under-privileged communities in Beirut, Lebanon. This study expands on the existing stress-illness literature and theory by incorporating a life course perspective into the relationship between stressful life events and depression outcomes for older adults residing within a post-war environment. It was anticipated that factors related to informal social resources, formal health care service resources, and socio-demographic factors would moderate and/or mediate the stress-depression relationship in important ways. Data were obtained from the Elder Health Survey (2003), conducted by the Center for Research on Population Health at the American University of Beirut. A series of multivariate OLS regression models were used to assess the independent, moderating and mediating effects of the study's constructs on current depression symptom levels. Using the shortened version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), analyses indicate that approximately 65% of the study sample exhibits likely depression. Additional results suggest that an increased number of life stressors and stressors related to health, violent and accident events are positively associated with increased depression levels for older Lebanese adults. Other results show that the relationship between financial stressors and depressive symptoms is exacerbated for those that experience health decline and retirement transitions earlier in the life course. Interestingly, number of children residing within the household and satisfaction with social network relationships were found to buffer and aggravate the positive relationship between stress and depression, although these predictors did not always act in expected ways. For older adults facing additional life stressors, access to medical care and the presence of medical health insurance reduces the positive effect of those stressors on depression. Overall, results from this study acknowledge the importance of historical context and life course in the stress-depression relationship. Findings imply the need for better health and social policies that address the mental health needs of aging Lebanese civilians residing within under-privileged communities and a post-war context.