Socio-demographic correlates of depression severity among elderly patients in the psychiatry outpatient department of a tertiary care teaching hospital

The global elderly population is rapidly increasing, and India has the second-largest population of elderly people. The elderly population in India has increased from 5.6% in 1961 to 7.7% in 2001. Depressive disorders are prevalent among the elderly population, with estimates ranging from 10% to 20% depending on cultural factors. Studies conducted in India have found that the point prevalence of depressive disorders among the elderly population varies between 13% and 25%. Despite India being the second-most populous country, elderly depression is not yet recognized as a public health problem. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of depressive features among individuals aged 60 years and above attending the psychiatric outpatient department (OPD) of a tertiary care teaching hospital. A cross-sectional design was used, and convenient sampling was employed to select a sample of 206 participants. The Beck Depression Inventory was used to assess the prevalence of depressive characteristics. The results of the study indicate that the majority of participants (56%) belonged to the age group of 66 to 70 years, and 52% were male. Hindus accounted for 68% of the participants in terms of religion. In terms of education, 28% were illiterate, and 43% had only primary education. Additionally, 49.5% of the participants were unemployed. The Depression Score revealed that 50% of the participants suffered from moderate depression, while 3.9% of the participants suffered from major depression. The results of the study indicate that depression is prevalent among the elderly population in India and is a significant public health problem that needs to be prioritized by the Indian healthcare system. Further research is needed to identify the factors contributing to the prevalence of depression among the elderly population in India. This will inform the development of effective interventions and strategies to improve mental health in the elderly population. It is essential to recognize elderly depression as a public health problem and develop appropriate policies and interventions to improve the quality of life of the elderly population in India.