INT'L. J. PSYCHIATRY IN M RELIGIOUS PRACTICE AND DEPRESSION AMONG GERIATRIC HOME CARE PATIENTS*t GLEN MilSTEIN, PH.D. City College of the City University of New York and WeillMedical College of Cornell University MARTHA L. BRUCE, PH.D., M.P.H. NINA GARGaN, PH.D. ELLEN BROWN, ED.D. PATRICK J. RAUE, PH.D. GAIL MCAVAY, MS Weill Medical College of Cornell University ABSTRACT Objective: To examine the relationshipbetween religious practiceanddepres- sion in a sample of geriatric patients receiving homecarenursing services. Methods: Patientswere sampledweekly for six months from all those' aged 65 to 102, and newly enrolled in a visiting nurse agency (N = 130). Depression was assessed by home interviews using the SCID and HRSD. Patients reported their religious service participation prior to receiving homecare and currently. Health status, disability, pain, social support and history of depression were also assessed. Results: The current prevalenceof DSM-IV *This work is supported by grantsROI MH56482, T32 NRSA MHI9132, and KO2 MH 01634 from the National Institute of Mental Health. Supportwas also received from a fund established in The New York Community Trust by DeWitt Wallace. tThe results were presentedin part at the Annual Meeting and Symposium of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, SanFrancisco, California, February2001. @2003, Baywood E, Vol. 33(1) 71-83, 2003 EDICIN 71 Co" Inc, Publishing