Depression and its correlates among geriatric people: A community based study from Southern Haryana, India

On account of improved life expectancy, better education and health facilities in India, the proportion of the geriatric population has gone up. In India, prevalence of depression estimated to be 4.5% in the year 2015, which affects about 57 million people. Objective: To determine the prevalence of depression and its epidemiological correlates among geriatric people residing in southern Haryana, India. Material and Methods: This community based study with cross-sectional design was conducted in rural and urban field practice areas of department of Community Medicine. Geriatric people were contacted by investigators through house to house visit. Study subjects were screened for depression by using standard shorter version Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). Pearson’s Chi-square test was used for categorical variables. Stepwise multiple logistic regression was used to find out an independent factors associated with depression. Result: A total of 308 elderly persons belonging to rural and urban areas participated in our study. Prevalence of depression (GDS score >5) among the elderly population in the present study was found to be 22.72% (95% CI: 18.2-27.8). Conclusion: Present study depicted that every fourth elderly person was suffering with depression. Nuclear family, sleep problems, not consulting elderly in decisions, chronic morbidity, lack of physical activities, and death of close relatives were identified as risk factors of depression.

Prevalence of osteoporosis in a rural population of Muzaffarnagar district.

Objective: The aim of our study was to find out the prevalence of osteoporotic changes in relation to age and sex in the rural population of Muzaffarnagar district. Study design: A hospital-based random survey was conducted by the department of orthopaedics – outreach activities in a rural area of distt. Muzaffarnagar (U.P.). This study was conducted during a period of 10 months from October 2010 to July 2011. A total number of 510 subjects including both males (260) and females (250) in the age group 20 - 80 years were selected randomly for the study. These subjects were divided into two groups according to age and sex (20 - 49 years and above 50 years), and were screened for BMD by bone densitiometer and their T scores were calculated. Methodology: The participants underwent BMD measurements by achilles ultrasound bone densitiometer. The result of BMD were analysed on the basis of T scores and were re-presented in the form of table and graph. Result: Out of the 260 males included in the study, 170 males were in age group (20 - 49 years) and 90 males were (above 50 years). In the age group (20 - 49 years), 66 males (38.8%) had a low BMD which was in the range of osteopenia, and 8 (4.7%) had osteoporosis and 96 (56.4%) had normal BMD values. In males above 50 years of age, 60 (66.8%) had osteopenia, 10 (11.1%) had osteoporosis and 20 (22.2%) had normal BMD values. Out of the 250 females included in the study, 192 females were in the age group 20 - 49 years, and 58 females were above 50 years of age. In the age group 20 - 49 years, 96 females (50%) had low BMD which was in the range of osteopenia, 16 (8.3%) had osteoporosis, and 80 (41.6%) had normal BMD. In females above 50 years of age, 34 (58.6%) had osteopenia, 14 (24.1%) had osteoporosis, and 10 (17.2%) had normal BMD.

Solitary schwannoma of the ethmoid sinus

A rare case of solitary Schwannoma of ethmoid sinus is reported