憂鬱是身心障礙照顧者婦女常需面對的心理或精神問題，又由於老化與更年期的因素，使得停經後期婦女有較高的憂鬱症狀，容易產生自律神經失調，與心血管疾病的風險，但目前仍無研究針對停經後期的憂鬱症狀與自律神經系統或心臟功能進行相關性探討，因此，本研究將利用心律變異度與自律神經調整功能的測量，探討停經後期婦女的憂鬱症狀與兩者量測值的相關性進行預測。本研究方法為採橫斷式研究，採用結構式問卷及心電圖針對停經後婦女進行評估，研究結果發現184位停經後期婦女中，情緒穩定有104位，台灣人憂鬱症量表分數為3.17 ± 2.76；輕度憂鬱有28位，量表分數為10.71 ± 1.90；中度憂鬱有24位，量表分數為16.25 ± 0.85；重度憂鬱有20位，量表分數為23.20 ± 1.76；嚴重憂鬱則有8位，量表分數為34.50 ± 5.92。停經後期婦女的年齡與BMI 值、心律變異度及自律神經調整功能皆有統計上的相關性（p < 0.05），對於各程度的憂鬱症狀皆有負向的預測關係，其中年齡變數對於不同憂鬱程度為重要的預測因子。自律神經調整功能與心律變異度並無統計上的相關性（p > 0.05），但是自律神經調整功能為停經後婦女憂鬱症狀的預測因子，合適預測情緒穩定及輕度憂鬱婦女的憂鬱程度，而心律變異度則合適使用於重度憂鬱症狀的預測。

Female family caregivers, who care disability children, are often easy to suffer from depression. Because of aging and menopause, post-menopausal woman was increasingly suffered from depression. Depression would induce the autonomic nervous system disorders, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. There are still lack of research to probe into the relevance among autonomic nerve and heart function. The aim of our study was to research the relevance of depression of post-menopausal woman with the heart rate variability (HRV) and adjustment of autonomic nerve by measurement of the latter two criteria. This was a cross-sectional study, and 184 post-menopausal women were assessed by the structured questionnaire and electrocardiography. In the result, we found 104 women were assessed as normal (Taiwanese depression questionnaire, TDQ; score: 3.17 ± 2.76), and 28 women with mild depression (TDQ score: 10.71 ± 1.90); 24 women with moderate depression (TDQ score: 16.25 ± 0.85), 20 women with severe depression (TDQ score: 23.20 ± 1.76) and 8 women with very severe depression (TDQ score: 34.50 ± 5.92). There was a statistical correlation between the age and BMI, HRV and adjustment of autonomic nerve (p < 0.05). These variables were predictors for the depression symptom, the age was especially important. The adjustment of autonomic nerve did not have a statistical correlation with HRV (p > 0.05), but it was a predictors which suit to assess the normal and mild depression. However, HRV was suit to assess the severe depression.