Mental Health among the Elderly in Nepal: Special Emphasis on Depression

Abstract

This paper discusses the impact of Depression on the aging population. It also tries to explore the psychosocial risk factors and burden associated with geriatric depression in low-and-middle-income (LAMI) countries. Nepal, a South Asian developing country, is resource-poor and research-naïve. Research, in general, and mental health studies, in particular, are the least prioritized in this country. The lack of culturally adapted psychiatric inventories is one of the possible reasons for the low number of mental health research in Nepal. However, recent studies done at the local and regional levels show a significant load of depressive symptoms among the elderly in Nepal.