SP1-59 Depression among elderly people in an old home of Dhaka city

Depression among older adults: a systematic review of South Asian countries

The world's population has been evolving rapidly; every country in the world is facing this drastic progression in the number and the percentage of the elderly in their net population. As the chronological age advances, physiological and psychosocial decline will be evident among all older adults. The potentially relevant literature was identified using appropriate search terms in electronic databases such as PubMed MEDLINE, Scopus, ProQuest, Web of Science, CINAHL, IndMed, and Google Scholar. Articles published from 2006 to 2019, reported the prevalence and the risk factors for depression among older adults living in the community, old age homes, or hospitals of the South Asian countries. Articles were published in the languages other than English and those reporting the categorised or mean depressive scores were excluded from the review. After quality check for all the retrieved articles from different databases, 120 articles were included for the meta-analysis. The data were extracted based on a validated data extraction form, and the reviewer contacted the authors for clarification of the missing data whenever required. The estimates were pooled using the random effect model for meta-analyses. Sub-group and sensitivity analyses were also performed. The overall pooled estimate (random effect models) of the prevalence of depression among the elderly was 42.0% (95% CI: 0.38-0.46), Chi-squared P-value <0.001, and I² 99.14%. The pooled estimate of the prevalence was higher in the community settings than the old age homes (44.0%; 95% CI: 39.0-49.0 vs. 42.0%; 95% CI: 34.0-49.0). Depression is a common problem among the elderly population and the pooled estimate of depression would give directions to the healthcare providers, policymakers, and future researchers to plan some measures (either pharmacological or non-pharmacological interventions) to effectively tackle the burden of geriatric depression in the future.

Determinants of depressive symptoms among older people in Bangladesh

BACKGROUND

Depressive symptoms are common among older people which are associated with disability, morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the associated risk factors for depressive symptoms among older people in Bangladesh.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 400 people aged ≥65 years from the Meherpur district in Bangladesh. Depressive symptoms were measured by the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale and categorized into: no depressive symptoms, mild, moderate and severe depressive symptoms. Information was also collected on socio-economic and demographic characteristics, health problems, feeling of loneliness, history of falls and concern about falling. Chi-square test of association and multinomial logistic regression was performed to reveal the determinants of depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

Just over half of the sample were female, aged 70+ years, and lived in rural areas. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 55.5%, and 23.0% mild, 19.0% moderate, and 13.5% having severe levels of depressive symptoms. Older age, sex, residence, marital status, presence of co-morbidities, visual impairment, previous falls, loneliness, and fear of falling were the significant determinants for developing depressive symptoms.

LIMITATIONS

A convenience sampling method was used for data collection among older people from selected communities in a district of Bangladesh. The results do not represent the entire population of Bangladesh. Besides, it was a cross-sectional study, and causality cannot be determined.

CONCLUSION

Depressive symptoms among older people in Bangladesh is prevalent, and needs to be addressed. Public health programs and strategies are needed to reduce depressive symptoms among older adults in Bangladesh.