Levels of depressive symptoms in spouses of people with lung cancer: effects of personality, social support, and caregiving burden.

The authors sought to identify the personality correlates of depressive symptoms in 120 spouses of people with lung cancer. Spouses completed questionnaires, including measures of personality (neuroticism, extraversion, and interpersonal self-efficacy), social support, and caregiving burden. Their level of depressive symptoms was measured with self-report (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale) and interviewer (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale) ratings.

Psychosocial factors and the response to influenza vaccination in older adults.

Objective: We examined the influence of psychological state (depression, negative affect, perceived stress) and social support on pre- and post-vaccination response to influenza vaccine.

Methods: Venous blood was drawn from 37 nursing home residents before and following injection of the trivalent influenza vaccine (comprised of the New Caledonia (NC), Hong Kong (HK), and Panama (Pan) strains of flu). The Geriatric Depression Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support were completed following the initial blood draw.