Correlates of Depression among Elderly Patients Attending the General Out-Patient Department of a Tertiary Hospital in Northwestern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND

Depression is a common mental health problem in the geriatric population associated with significant morbidity (including decreased physical, cognitive and social functioning) and mortality. Although patients differ in their presentations, certain social and demographic characteristics are common to the elderly population with depression. It is hoped that identifying these patients based on their sociodemographic characteristics will help reduce the difficulties in diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to determine the risk factors for depressive illness among elderly patients attending the GOPD of AKTH.

METHODS

This cross-sectional questionnaire-based study involved 392 elderly patients systematically selected from Family Medicine Clinic attendees in Kano, Nigeria. Data collected included sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Geriatric Depression Scale was used to screen for depression. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were used to determine the association between categorical variables and predictors of depression among participants, respectively.

RESULTS

The prevalence of depression prevalence was 22.4%. Most participants were females aged 60-69 years (62.5%), Hausas (77.6%) and living with their spouses and children (77.3%). Gender, marital status, marital setting, socio-economic class, osteoarthritis and body-mass index were associated with depression. The predictors of depression were female gender (p=0.014, OR=1.401, CI=1.757- 2.591), widows/widowers (p=0.030, OR=4.533, CI= 1.186-17.317) and obesity (p=0.001, OR=5.644, CI=2.759-11.544).

CONCLUSION

The high prevalence of depression among this population highlights the need for screening. Females, widows/ widowers and obese geriatric patients are more likely to be depressed and should be targeted for screening in our busy outpatient setting.