Prevalence of Depression and associated risk factors among elderly in rural field practice areas of a tertiary care institution in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

Background: Old age is considered as curse being associated with deterioration of all physical, psychological factors, isolation from social, economic and other activities. Rapid urbanization and societal modernization has brought its wake breakdown in family values and frame work of family support, social isolation and elderly abuse leading to a host of psychological problems. The present study was undertaken to estimate the prevalence of depression and associated risk factors among the elderly

Methodology:  A cross sectional study was conducted in the rural field practice area of a tertiary care teaching institute in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh state during   July – August 2021. A predesigned, pretested questionnaire and GDS-15 scale were used for data collection from 220 participants. Data was entered into MS Excel sheet and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences statistical software version -16.

Results: The prevalence of depression in study population was 38.63%.Mild depression was observed in (15.45%) of study population followed by moderate depression (14.09%) which was followed by severe depression in the elderly (9.09%).It was significantly higher in those who were divorced ,separated , Unmarried and widow or widower as compared to married elderly (p=0.00) and those who belonged to “Not working” class (47.37%) as compared to “Working ” class (19.6%) ,(p=0.01),those who were financially dependent on others (58.62%)as compared to those who were financially independent (31.48%) (p=0.00), those belonging to lower socioeconomic status (45.61%) as per modified BG Prasad classification, and those who are living alone (56.25%) as compared to living with family(32.55%) (p=0.00).

Conclusion: The study revealed the need for the provision of care, concern, support (financially as well as psychologically) towards the elderly to promote mental health positively.