Prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms among Rohingya (forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals or FDMNs) older adults in Bangladesh amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background Depression is globally a crucial communal psychiatric disorder, which is more common in older adults. The situation is considerably worse among millions of older (forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals or FDMNs) Rohingya adults, and the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may exacerbate the already existing precarious situation. The present study investigated depressive symptoms and their associated factors in older adult Rohingya FDMNs in Cox Bazar, Bangladesh, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method A total of 416 older adults aged 60 years and above residing in Rohingya camps situated in the South Eastern part of Bangladesh were interviewed using a 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) in Bengali language. Chi-square test was performed to compare the prevalence of depressive symptoms within different categories of a variable and a binary logistic regression model was performed to determine the factors associated with depressive symptoms. Results More than 41% of Rohingya older adults had depressive symptoms (DS). Socio-demographic and economic factors such as living alone, dependency on family for living, poor memory, feelings of being left out, difficulty in getting medicine and routine medical care during COVID-19, perception that older adults are at highest risk of COVID-19 and pre-existing non-communicable chronic conditions were found to be significantly associated with developing DS. Higher DS was also evident among older female Rohingya FDMNs. Conclusion DS are highly prevalent in older Rohingya FDMNs during COVID-19. The findings of the present study call for immediate arrangement of mental health care services and highlight policy implications to ensure the well-being of older FDMNs.

Difficulties faced by older Rohingya (forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals) adults in accessing medical services amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh

“… 40 Older Rohingya adults’ feeling of loneliness may be due to the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic brought to refugees, including lockdowns, self-isolation/quarantine, 36 limited social networks, inadequate connection with family members and limited social and psychological support. 41–43 Moreover, stigma, racism and discrimination are postulated to increase loneliness in refugees worldwide. 36 42 44 Therefore, it is vital to strengthen the measures to improve the communication between people within the camps as well as with people beyond the camps.…”

COVID-19 and its prevention in internally displaced person (IDP) camps in Somalia: Impact on livelihood, food security and mental health

“…Somalia's median age is 16.7 years [49] which may explain why we found such high rates of depression in young and middle-aged people. This contrasts with a report of higher depression rates among older aged Rohinga refugees communities in Bangladesh during the pandemic [50]. Mental health and wellbeing has been neglected for decades in Somalia due to the prolonged con ict and lack of health care services [51].…”

Gejala Depresi pada Lanjut Usia di Masa Pandemi Covid-19

“…Hasil penelitian melaporkan bahwa gejala depresi pada lansia di masa pandemi Covid-19 bervariasi dari rentang 7.7 % -62.3%. Hasil penelitian menyebutkan bahwa prevalensi pada lansia tertinggi pada lansia dengan kelompok lansia usia lebih tua (Mistry et al, 2021). Hal ini didukung oleh penelitian yang dilakukan oleh Khalaf dkk (2022) yang menyebutkan lansia usia 75 tahun ke atas beresiko memiliki gejala depresi (Khalaf dkk, 2022).…”