Preventing depression in older adults with chronic illnesses through the SMART Elderly Program: a quasi-experimental study in Central Thailand
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Clinical Trial
Abstract: Background: Depression frequently affects older adults with chronic illnesses, reducing their quality of life. In Thailand, limited access to mental health services increases the need for preventive interventions. The SMART (Smile, Mindfulness, Attitude, Relax, and Thinking) Elderly Program aimed to assess its effectiveness in preventing depression among older adults. Methods: Quasi-experimental research design with a repeated-measures approach was used with two groups. The study included 80 older adults diagnosed by a physician with noncommunicable diseases and a depression score of 7 to 12 on the Thai Geriatric Depression Scale (TGDS), indicating risk for depression. Participants were assigned to two groups through multi-stage sampling. The intervention group (n=40) participated in a 6-week SMART Elderly Program, while the control group (n=40) received standard treatment and a handbook for depression prevention. Evaluations took place through in-person interviews at baseline, post-intervention, and at a 3-month follow-up. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and repeated measures analysis of variance. Results: The analysis showed statistically significant differences in knowledge about depression, attitudes toward depression, and TGDS scores between the intervention and control groups at the 3-month follow-up (P<0.001). In the intervention group, these measures also changed significantly from baseline to the 3-month follow-up (P<0.001). Conclusion: The SMART Elderly Program significantly reduced depressive symptoms in older adults with chronic illnesses. These results support its use in community health practice and inform health policy to improve preventive mental health care for older adults.
DOI: 10.4082/kjfm.25.0222
Institution: Valaya Alongkorn Rajabhat University
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7125927108
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