Gerontology & Geriatric Research

Abstract

Prevalence and Correlates of Depression among Nepalese Rai Older Adults

Hom Nath Chalise and Sai Laxmi Rai

Introduction: Depression is a common public health issue with the increasing life expectancy worldwide and depression is associated with morbidity as well as disability among the elderly. There are very few studies related with depression among elderly from developing countries.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the situation of depression and its correlates among the Nepali Rai elderly.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study carried out in 2010. Data were collected by face-to-face interview in using Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and prepared with a translation and back translation technique from English into Nepalese. The data were analyzed using percentage, mean, simple correlation and regression.

Results: The subjects (N=165) were member of the Rai caste/ethnicity living in Kathmandu valley, aged 60 years and above. Mean age of the subjects was 69.77 (± 5.75) years and 52 % were male. The average family size was 4.47 and more than 70 percent (73.3%) elderly were living with their family members. Finding shows the prevalence of depression among Nepalese Rai older adults was 29.7 %. A statistically significant correlation was found between feelings of depression with age, sex, marital status, family size, instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), loneliness and participation in household activities. Regression analysis shows that higher the age, larger the family size, being widow/widower, higher the dependency in IADL and illiteracy were associated with depression.

Conclusion: The present results indicate many Nepalese older adult experiences some form of depression although they are living in the joint family size. However, this result may not be generalized to the greater population of Nepalese older adults and the external validity of the GDS Scale is an important criterion to examine in future research