Author/Authors :
Akhtar، Hussain نويسنده Indian Institute of Public Health, Public Health Foundation of India, Bhubaneshwar , , Maroof Khan، Amir نويسنده Department of Community Medicine, University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, Delhi , , Vaidhyanathan، K Vikram نويسنده Department of Community Medicine, University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, Delhi , , Chhabra، Pragti نويسنده Department of Community Medicine, University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, Delhi , , Kannan، A T نويسنده Department of Community Medicine, University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, Delhi ,
Abstract :
Background: Depression is the most common geriatric psychiatric
disorder. Other than organic, socio-demographic factors, have been found
to play an important role in mental health. In this study we evaluated the
association of some socio-demographic factors with geriatric depression
Methods: A cross?sectional study was carried out in the Out Patient
Department registration area of a tertiary care teaching hospital in Delhi.
Questionnaire based interviews were conducted among the elderly
people visiting the hospital. A 15?item geriatric depression scale?Hindi
was used to assess depression.
Results: Six hundred and seventy eight subjects were interviewed. The
age of the subjects ranged from 65 to 85 years. About three?fourth
of the study population were males. About 61.4% scored positive
for depression. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that
the following were significant (P < 0.05) independent predictors of
depression: Higher age, low educational status, financial dependence
and presence of any chronic health problem.
Conclusions: The present study found that the prevalence of depression
among the study subjects was high. Also the independent risk factors
found in this study need to be targeted in formulating mental health
policy for geriatrics.
