A cross-sectional study to determine the cognitive impairment and depression among elderly in a rural area of West Bengal

Abstract

Background: The increase in worldwide life expectancy among the elderly is contributing to an increase in cognitive impairment (CI). A more complicated etiology makes CI an essential clinical concern for elderly patients with depression. Ageing populations as a result of demographic change have accelerated the development of certain geriatric conditions, including CI and depression. Aims and Objectives: The objective was to identify the prevalence and contributing factors of CI and depression in the elderly rural community. Materials and Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional, and community-based study was conducted in rural field practice area of Medical College, Kolkata, among 133 geriatric people during time period of March–June, 2022. The prevalence of CI was measured using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scale and depression was assessed using the geriatric depression scale. Data were analyzed in SPSS software version 16. Results: Mean age of the participants was 65.68 (±6.03) years. The prevalence of CI was 86.5%, with a mean MMSE score of 19.27 ± 4.34, and the depression was 77.5% and 7.07 ± 3.39. Conclusion: Almost two-third of the geriatric population is suffering from depression and CI. To handle the issue of CI, depression, and its resulting effects, new and modified geriatric health policies are very much needed.