PREVALENCE AND FACTORS AFFECTING DEPRESSION AMONG ELDERLY IN MANGALORE

Abstract

Introduction: The prevalence of depression is very high in elderly with a pattern of silent epidemic. A rise in the geriatric population is projected to increase the burden of depression.
Objectives: To assess the prevalence of depression and to determine the factors affecting depression among elderly in Mangalore city.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 113 elderly people with age of 65 years and above residing in Mangalore city. The data was collected using pretested and semi-structured proforma and validated Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) questionnaire. The Chi square test/Fishers exact test was used to study the association between the study variables and the magnitude of depression. Binary logistic regression model was fitted to identify the risk factors associated with depression.
Results: The prevalence of depression was determined to be 64.4% among the study participants. Out of which 42.5% had mild depression, 17.7% had moderate and 4.4% had severe depression. Middle old age group, presence of comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension and musculoskeletal disorders, economic dependency were identified as the significant risk factors associated with depression among elderly.
Conclusion: The prevalence of depression among elderly is high (64.4%). Therefore, early detection and management of depression in elderly is deemed crucial.