RESUMEN
Background: Depression among elderly has been a neglected health issue. Various factors hinder its early diagnosis. The objectives of this study are to screen for depression among elderly using geriatric depression scale-15 and to determine its influencing factors.Methods: A community based cross sectional study on geriatric depression was done in villages catered by a primary health centre in Puducherry. Permanent residents of the study setting, aged ≥60 years consenting for the study were included. Line listing of elderly individuals in the study setting was done and subjects were selected by simple random sampling. A pretested structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic and clinic-psychological variables. Hindi mental state examination scale was used to screen for cognitive impairment (score <23). Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) was used to screen for depression (score >5) among geriatric individuals. Appropriate statistical tests of significance were done.Results: Among the 360 elderly individuals screened using GDS-15 tool, 41.4% of them were found to be at a higher risk of developing depression. Significant factors for risk of depression in univariate analysis include being female, illiterate, unemployed, widow/single, having sleep problems, dependency in activities of daily living and cognitive impairment. Predictors for risk of depression evident by multivariate analysis include presence of unemployment, sleep problems and cognitive impairment.Conclusions: A higher proportion of elderly was observed to be at risk of depression. Primary care physicians may consider screening for depression in elderly with identified risk factors and act accordingly.
RESUMEN
Os aspectos de personalidade têm sido apontados como fatores que podem contribuir para a avaliação da qualidade de vida e o desencadeamento de depressão na velhice. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a relação entre fatores de personalidade, qualidade de vida e depressão em idosas. Utilizou-se o método amostral de conveniência. Cento e três idosas foram avaliadas e responderam sobre condições sociodemográficas, aspectos de personalidade (IFP), qualidade de vida (WHOQOL-bref) e depressão (GDS). De modo geral, essas mulheres apresentaram características medianas para todos os fatores de personalidade, tendo como dimensões mais referidas a alta deferência e baixa agressão. As participantes deste estudo não apresentaram como característica a presença de depressão. O estudo aponta para a existência de associação entre dimensões de personalidade, qualidade de vida e depressão em idosas; contudo, outros estudos são sugeridos.
Personality aspects have been indicated as factors that may contribute to the quality of life assessment and the onset of depression in old age. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship among the personality factors, the quality of life and depression in the elderly. The sampling process used was the convenience method. One hundred three elderly women were assessed and asked about sociodemographic conditions, personality aspects (PFI), quality of life (WHOQOL-bref) and depression (GDS). In general terms, the elderly women in this sample, showed median characteristics for all the PFI factors, having the aspects of high deference and low aggression been the most cited. The participants in this study did not show the presence of depression as a characteristic. The study highlights the existence of an association among the personality dimensions, the quality of life and depression in the elderly. Nevertheless, further studies are suggested.
Los aspectos de personalidad han sido señalados como factores que contribuyen para la evaluación de calidad de vida y desencadenamiento de depresión en la vejez. El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar la relación entre factores de personalidad, calidad de vida y depresión en ancianas. Se utilizó el método de muestra de conveniencia. Ciento tres ancianas fueron evaluadas y contestaron sobre condiciones sociodemográficas, aspectos de personalidad (IFP), calidad de vida (WHOQOL-bref) y depresión (GDS). Por regla general, las ancianas presentaron dimensiones medianas para todos los factores de personalidad, teniendo como dimensiones más referidas la alta diferencia y baja agresión. Las participantes no presentaron depresión. El estudio señala para la existencia de una asociación entre dimensiones de personalidad, calidad de vida y depresión en ancianas. Sin embargo, otros estudios son sugeridos.