A Study of Depression Level Among Elderly People in the Rural Area of Bijapur, India

Abstract

BACKGROUND: "Population ageing" was one of the most distinctive demographic events of the twentieth century. Growth in the elderly population has led to an increase in age related diseases and mainly depression affecting quality of life. Depression in old age is an emerging public health problem leading to morbidity and disability worldwide. In India there is acute scarcity of adequately trained mental health professionals. In this context, there is need to study the level of depression in old age and an effective screening tool which can be used to detect and treat depression. OBJECTIVES: 1) To assess the prevalence of depression in elderly using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). 2) To examine the socio-demographic factors associated with depression among elderly people. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional, community based study was conducted in Shivanagi village of Bijapur District, Karnataka. A random sample of 388 elderly people was taken for the study. GDS was used to assess depression. Those with any psychiatric morbidity and without consent were excluded. Data was analyzed using Chi Square test of association, tests of difference between mean, and standard deviation with SPSS software. RESULTS: The magnitude of mild or severe depression was 34 percent on GDS scale. The prevalence of depression was found to be more among women, and it was statistically significantly positively associated with increasing age, illiteracy, a low socio-economic status, those who were living alone, those who were economically partially dependent and those who were totally dependent for the activities of daily living. CONCLUSION: These findings could guide community-based program managers to devise and implement effective and timely mental health interventions for older adults in order to prevent geriatric depression and develop comprehensive strategy for its early diagnosis.

Depression among older adults: a systematic review ofSouth Asian countries

“…• Education status: Illiterate 17, 19, 21, 25–28, 31, 34, 36, 38, 42, 48, 52, 54, 63, 65, 67, 71–73, 81, 82, 90, 91, 94, 96, 107, 108, 124, 128, 131, 132 …”

“…• Gender: Elderly female 18–21, 25, 27, 28, 38, 39, 41, 42, 45–48, 51, 53, 54, 60, 63, 64, 66–68, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, 83, 88–90, 94, 97, 106–110, 112, 117, 119, 120, 122, 131, 136 Elderly male 43, 83 …”

“…• Increasing age 19, 20, 21, 25, 27, 28, 38, 40–44, 47–49, 54, 57, 60, 72, 73, 77, 83, 85, 89, 90, 98, 99, 106, 120, 131, 132 …”

“…• Financially dependent on others/ No pension 18, 25, 28, 35, 42–45, 49, 54, 69, 74, 81, 82, 87, 88, 90, 91, 93, 99, 105, 131, 136 …”

“…• Marital status: Single/Living alone/Disrupted/Widow/Separated 17–19, 25, 27, 28, 40–42, 45, 53, 54, 57, 60, 65, 67, 71, 75, 81–83, 88, 90, 93, 94, 103, 107, 109, 110, 112, 117, 120, 122, 124, 136 …”