1Nursing Officer, JIPMER Hospital, Puducherry, Puducherry, UT, India
2Principal, Mailam Nursing College, Mailam, Villupurm District, Tamil-Nadu, India
Depression is the most common psychiatric problem among elderly in both developing and developed countries. Depression in elderly can be of multifactorial cause and it does not produce any objective symptomatology. The course is insidious may masked by physical symptoms. Especially the elderly residing old age home that is away from their family may experience more depression than others.
To assess and compare the prevalence of depression among elderly residing in old age home and in general community and to associate the level of depression with their demographic variables.
Survey approach and comparative design was used in this study. 30 samples were recruited from selected old age home, and in the comparison group 30 subjects recruited from selected village from Thiruvannamalai district. Total of 60 elderly were utilized those fulfilled inclusive criteria. Geriatric Depression scale was used to assess the prevalence of depression.
Majority 66.66% of elderly in the old age home had mild depression and 20% had mild depression in the comparison group.
Depression, Elderly, Old age home, General community, Depression scale
