Frequency and Risk Factors of Depression among Elderly at Geriatric Clubs in Zagazig City | ||||
| Zagazig University Medical Journal | ||||
| Article 216, Volume 27, Issue 5, September 2021, Page 992-1005 PDF (598.4 K) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/zumj.2019.15731.1410 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
Manar Mamdouh Mahmoud Gaafer  1; Howaida Henary Fahmy2; Yasser Raya3; Rasha Mohammed Bahaa El Din4
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| 1Family medicine, Faculty of medicine, Zagazig university, Egypt | ||||
| 2Professor of public health and community medicine Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt | ||||
| 3Psychiatry department, Faculty of medicine, Zagazig University, zagazig, Egypt | ||||
| 4Lecturer of Family medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Background: Depression is one of most prevalent disabling health problems among elderly. Aim of the study: To improve quality of life of elderly. Objectives: To assess frequency of depression among elderly (≥60) and identify its risk factors. Subjects and methods: A cross sectional study included 280 persons attending geriatric clubs in Zagazig city. Participants were asked about socio-demographic data, presence of chronic diseases, and participation in physical and social activities. Depression was measured by Geriatric Depression Scale short form (GDS-SF). Results: Prevalence of depression among the studied group was 66.1%, while 33.9% had no depression. According to severity, 61% of the depressed elderly had mild depression and 10% had severe depression. Results revealed that elderly belonging to the age group 70-75 years (63.9%), female sex (44.7%), urban residents (42.7), widowed (48.0%), and those with middle education (63.0%) were more exposed to depression than others. Also, elderly without past occupation (50.5%), those without current occupation (42.9%), and those of low social class (66.6%) had depression more than others. Lastly, elderly with minimal participation in physical activities (60.0%) and moderate participation in social (53.2%) activities, and those having chronic conditions were more prone to depression than others. Conclusion: Depression is an undiagnosed public health problem. It significantly increases with age, female sex, widowhood, urban residence, middle education, low socioeconomic level, past unemployment, and absence of current occupation. It is recommended to increase the awareness about the geriatric depression to allow early detection thus preventing its progression. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Key words: Depression; geriatric; Assessment; frequency | ||||
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