Background: Depression is one of the most common treatable illnesses affecting individuals after the age of 60 years. In India, 39.04% of elderly persons are estimated to experience depression, whose prevalence is higher in slum areas and old age homes.
Objective: To assess the prevalence of depression among elderly persons residing in urban households and various factors contributing to it.
Materials and Methods: It is a community-based cross-sectional study where urban households of Ashok Nagar and Ram Nagar areas of Belagavi city, Karnataka, India, were selected randomly. A total of 150 elderly persons were interviewed using pretested and predesigned questionnaire from GDS-30. Data were analyzed using percentages and χ2-test.
Result: The prevalence of depression in elderly persons was 37.1%; among these, 24.7% were mildly depressed and 9.3% severely depressed. Depression was more prevalent in those who were not physically active (46%) than those who were active (54%) (χ2 = 6.902, p = 0.032). About 75.3% of illiterates were found to be depressed than literate ones (24.7%) (χ2 = 9.391, p = 0.009).
Conclusion: Four of ten individuals suffered from depression after 60 years of age. Depression was seen higher in illiterates and individuals leading sedentary lifestyle and was found to be statistically significant.
Key words: Community, elderly, depression, illiteracy, lifestyle, urban
|
