Depression in the elderly: Prevalence and associated factors in urban population

Introduction: Depression in elderly population is a serious public health concern but is often undetected and ignored as a medical problem, leading to poor quality of life. Aim and Objectives: The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence and degree of depression among the elderly population using a Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) Short Form and to study some correlates associated with depression in them. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample size of 100 elderly subjects using systematic random sampling technique. After getting informed consent, information was collected using GDS-15 Marathi version. Results: Of 100 respondents interviewed, 52 were 70 years and above and 54 were male. The prevalence of depression among the elderly was 84.0%. Sixteen (8 males and 8 females) were suffering from severe depression. Age, sex, death of spouse, education, occupation, and morbidity status were found to be significantly associated with depression. Conclusions: The prevalence of depression among the urban elderly was very high. By identifying risk factors for depression among the elderly population and screening them on time, we can go a long way in adding life to their years instead of years to life of the elderly.