Prevalence of depression amongst the Elderly population in old age homes of Mangalore city

CONTEXT: Depression is a silent killer. The people living in the old age homes (OAHs) appear to be overtly neglected by the community and depression is easily overlooked in such individuals especially in elderly people with comorbidities. Its early detection and treatment are imperative to improve quality of life. AIM: To find the prevalence of depression and the socio-demographic factors associated with depression among the elderly of OAHs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A Cross-sectional study in geriatric population of OAHs around Mangalore city was conducted over a duration of 5 months. About 142 elderly above the age of 60 years participated in the study. The study tools used were Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15), Activities of Daily Living Scale (Katz index) and socio-demographic questionnaire. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: The results were expressed in percentages and proportions. Univariate logistic regression analysis was done to find out the associated sociodemographic factors. Means and standard deviation of the GDS-15 and KATZ index scores were calculated and correlation was assessed between both the scores. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of depression was 47.8% by using the GDS. The GDS score and Katz score were found to have a significant negative correlation. (r = -0.245 P = 0.003). Less social interaction amongst the peers was found to be associated with depression. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of depression in this study population was moderately high. Spending time with other residents was protective and functionally able people were less likely to have depression.