Depression and Its Associated Factors in Elderly Nursing Home Residents: A Screening Study in Khorramabad

Abstract

Objectives We aimed to investigate the frequency of depression among elderly residents of Sedigh Nursing Home and the related factors in Khorramabad. Methods & Materials In this descriptive-analytic study, 87 elderly people (21 men and 57 women) above 60 years were selected through census method. Depression was evaluated with the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). To assess the relationship between depression and demographic factors, independent t-test and Fisher's exact test and SPSS version 19 were used.  Results 36% of the participants were not depressed and 64% of them showed some degree of depression; 19.2% had moderate depression and 16.6% had severe depression. The relationship between depression in the elderly, age and education level were significant. As with aging, the prevalence of depression decreased (P<0.000) with age and the level of education was lower in depressed people (P<0.01). The relationships between the prevalence of depression and other demographic variables were not statistically significant. Conclusion Given the high prevalence of depression in the elderly population living in institutions, assessment and screening of elderly residents of nursing home especially younger elderly with lower educational levels, is essential.

Keywords

• Elderly
• Depression
• Nursing home
• Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)