FREQUENCY AND PREDICTORS OF DEPRESSION AMONG ELDERLY OF RAWALPINDI PAKISTAN

Objective: To determine the frequency of depression and identify predictors of depression in elderly. Methodology: This cross‐sectional study was conducted in Holy Family Hospital Rawalpindi during a three months period from October 2013 to December 2013 among elderly coming to outdoor patient department. Patients and their attendants of age 64 or above were included in the study. 209 patients were selected by consecutive sampling technique. Questionnaire included socio- demographic profile and geriatric depression scale (GDS) scale consisting of 15 items. Analysis was done by utilizing SPSS16. Descriptive statistics were performed. The results were recorded as frequencies. P-values were obtained and results were depicted in form of tables and figures. Chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test were applied to the data to calculate the association. Results: A sample of 209 was studied and depression was found to be present in 28.71%. There was no statistically significant relationship between education, intimacy, sleep, having children or having not ,financial support and depression (P-value > 0.05). The analysis showed that there was a significant relationship between gender, people ever diagnosed for depression in life, persons having suicidal ideas at least once in life, poor marital relationship, monthly income between Rs10,000 to 30,000, elderly having no care giver and depression (P-value < 0.05). Conclusion: High frequency of depression was found among elderly community and diversity exists in predicting factors.