ABSTRACT

Background: Depression in elders is a significant problem causing substantial morbidity and disability worldwide. The assessment of depression in elders is important for defining the extent of depression. Objectives: The Objectives of this study have been designed to study the prevalence of depression and also to study the factors associated with depression in the elderly aged 60 years and above in Kumarapalayam Town, Namakkal district, Tamilnadu, India. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study conducted on 382 elderly people(aged ? 60 years) using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale. Elderly persons were randomly selected.Results: The observed overall (GDS score >8) prevalence rate of depression was 54.45%. The study showed a significant relationship between gender and depression. Conclusion: This study results showed that the prevalence rate of depression in the study area is significantly high among the elderly population. These study results can help to device a more comprehensive strategy for appropriate interventions to promote mental health and prevent depression in elderly people. Keywords: Depression, associated factors, elderly, India
Publication date: 01/06/2020

https://ijbpas.com/pdf/2020/June/MS_IJBPAS_2020_5087.pdf

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https://doi.org/10.31032/IJBPAS/2020/9.6.5087