Depression Screening for the Geriatric Population Visiting Primary Healthcare Centers in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia

Screening of Geriatric Depression in Makkah, Saudi Arabia: A Pilot Study

OBJECTIVE

There is currently limited evidence about the prevalence of depression among elderly people residing in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. This study aims to report the magnitude of depression among the older population in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, and the related risk factors.

METHODS

An online cross-sectional pilot survey was carried out in Makkah City, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using an online self-administered questionnaire.

RESULTS

The study questionnaire was completed by 191 older people. The participants' ages varied from 60 to 88 years. 55.5% were women, 47.9% were married, and 21.5% were divorced/widowed. 46.6% had hypertension, 42.4% had diabetes, 17.3% had hypothyroidism, 7.9% had cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and 6.3% reported psychiatric problems. 44.5% of the subjects had no depression, 23.5% had mild, 15.2% had moderate, and 16.8% had severe depression. The sample included 32% who had been classified as having major depression. Elderly participants with insomnia, cognitive diseases, and chronic diseases showed a high risk for experiencing severe depression (OR=2.74; 95% CI: 1.42-5.28),(OR=2.63; 95% CI: 1.29-5.40), and (OR=2.62; 95% CI: 1.11-6.14) respectively.

CONCLUSION

Depression was common among the elderly population in Makkah, particularly among those with a documented history of insomnia, cognitive diseases, and chronic diseases. Depression screening and treatment for old people in medical settings is recommended.

Prevalence of Depression Among Older Adults Visiting the Primary Healthcare Centers in Jizan City, Saudi Arabia: An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study

Background and objective Older adults are susceptible to various disorders, including depression. Depression manifests as a disorder characterized by a persistent depressed mood, feelings of sadness and loneliness, sleep disturbances, and loss of interest lasting for two weeks or more. This condition can significantly affect the quality of life for older adults, resulting in adverse outcomes that have a negative impact on their overall well-being. In this study, our objective was to assess the prevalence of depression and identify associated risk factors among individuals aged 60 years and above who attended Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCCs) in Jizan City. Methodology We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study among older people attending PHCCs in Jizan City between May and December 2022. In this study, we interviewed 300 participants using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to assess depression. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 25.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) was used for data entry and analysis. We used the chi-square test and binary logistic regression model to detect the associations and predictors of depression among older adults. Results One-third of the study participants experienced depression, with 49 (16%) exhibiting mild depression, 33 (11%) reporting moderate depression, and 17 (6%) individuals indicating moderately severe depression. Depression was more common among females (158, 52.7%) than males (142, 47.3%). The predictors of depression among the study participants were the dependency to perform daily tasks and abnormal sleep duration. Conclusions Depression is a prevalent health problem among older people in Jizan City, particularly among females, those who are divorced or widowed, individuals dependent on others for daily tasks, and those with abnormal sleep duration. We conclude that we need more research on older adults to assess their mental problems and fill in the literature gap.

Morbidity profile among older people at primary health care centers in Saudi Arabia during the period 2012-2020

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the morbidity profile and explore the geriatric giants, health problems, and their risk factors among old people in the older people health clinics at primary health care centers (PHCCs) in Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

This is a record-based descriptive cross-sectional study. Data was collected between 2012-2020 using the health data of older people to whom comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) was carried out at 1,481 PHCCs in Saudi Arabia. Data included sociodemographic and health related characteristics, medications, results of CGA, complete clinical examination, and laboratory results. Assessment was carried out for diabetes, hypertension, obesity, underweight, vision and hearing impairments, depression, memory and cognitive impairment, risk of falls, urine incontinence, bronchial asthma, and anemia.

RESULTS

A total of 193,715 older people were screened. A high prevalence of diabetes (55.4%), hypertension (49.1%), diabetes and hypertension co-morbidity (26.8%), and obesity (22.2%) were found. The overall prevalence of anemia was 4.7% and asthma 8.9%. The prevalence of positive screening for depression was 5.9%, 2.9% for memory and cognitive impairment, 6.3% for urine incontinence, and 4.0% for risk of fall. The prevalence of vision impairment was 20.6%, hearing impairments was 12.6%, and for underweight it was 5.4%. There was high prevalence of risk factors like smoking (8.5%), and polypharmacy (25.3%). Health regions varied widely in prevalence of the studied health conditions.

CONCLUSION

The study findings highlight the importance of CGA in early detection of geriatric giants, health problems, and associated risk factors among Saudi older people.

Prevalence of Dementia and Its Associated Risk Factors Among Geriatric Patients Visiting Primary Healthcare Centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: Dementia is a major cause of morbidity and dependence. The number of elderly individuals living with dementia worldwide is expected to rise up to 131 million by 2050. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is estimated to be one of the highest prevalence regions. However, there are limited numbers of studies in the region, especially on the primary care level. This study aims to determine the prevalence of dementia and identify the most important modifiable risk factors in our sample. 

Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used utilizing the non-probability convenience sampling technique. A questionnaire including demographic data, the Arabic version of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9) to screen for depression, and the Arabic version of the eight-item Alzheimer's Dementia (AD8) to screen for dementia, were administered to participants recruited from six primary healthcare centers in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. 

Results: This study found the prevalence of dementia to be 16% and 11% assuming cutoff points of 3 and 4, respectively, using the Arabic version of AD8, with depression and dyslipidemia as important modifiable risk factors for dementia in our sample. 

Conclusion: Primary healthcare professionals should be aware of the important modifiable risk factors such as dyslipidemia and depression in the population to be able to develop strategies for early detection and slowing down the progression of dementia. Further research to identify other modifiable risk factors in the population is recommended.