Prevalence of geriatric depression and its associated factors in Warangal district, Telangana

Abstract

Background: The world’s population is ageing fast. Physical and mental health deteriorates as a result of the normal aging process. The most common mental health conditions for older adults are depression and anxiety. Mental health concerns are least prioritized in most of the developing countries with depression being easy to screen. Materials and Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Warangal district from October to December 2024, involving 370 participants aged over 60 years, both males and females. Data was collected through a semi-structured questionnaire and the Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form (GDS-15) for depression. The study used SPSS (version 26) for statistical analysis and Pearson Chi-square test. Results: The prevalence of geriatric depression was found to be 64.1%. Out of which 35.4% had mild depression; 16.8% had moderate depression and 11.9% had severe depression. Factors like education, marital status, occupation, pension, socio-economic status, co-morbidities, sleep problems, hearing, major life event and feeling lonely or isolated from others were found to be significantly associated with depression. Conclusion: The mental health of older adults should be addressed from the primary healthcare setting onward, through screening, diagnosis, and management. Strengthening the National Program for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE) through community-based programs. It also points towards the need for multicentric, longitudinal studies evaluating various aspects of geriatric depression.

Keywords: Ageing, depression, geriatric, mental health, rural