<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Depression is the most frequent mental health problem in older age with serious consequences on personal, interpersonal and social level. The aim of this study was to determine the association of demographic factors, socio-economic factors and health status characteristics, with the presence of depressive symptoms in the elderly persons. The survey was conducted as a part of the national study “Health Survey of the Serbian population” in 2013. Data on the population aged 65 years and over were used for the purposes of this study (3540 respondents). PHQ-8 questionnaire was used to assess the presence of symptoms of depression. The relations between the presence of depressive symptoms, as a dependent variable, and a set of independent variables was examined by univariate and multivariate logistic regressions. Depression (PHQ-8 score≥10) was registered in 10% of the population aged 65 and above, wherein it was statistically significantly higher in women (12.7%) than in men (6.5%). Limitations in performing of daily activities showed to be the strongest predictor of depression in the elderly, while respondents who have had serious limitations had even six times more chanse to develop depression (OR=6.84). Respondents who rated their health as “bad or very bad” for 49.5% more frequently manifested depressive symptoms compared to those who evaluated their health as “very good or good” (OR=3.49). Respondents who have had two or more chronic diseases were three times more likely to have depression (OR=3.1) compared to people without chronic disease.</p></abstract>

Depression is the most frequent mental health problem in older age with serious consequences on personal, interpersonal and social level. The aim of this study was to determine the association of demographic factors, socio-economic factors and health status characteristics, with the presence of depressive symptoms in the elderly persons. The survey was conducted as a part of the national study “Health Survey of the Serbian population” in 2013. Data on the population aged 65 years and over were used for the purposes of this study (3540 respondents). PHQ-8 questionnaire was used to assess the presence of symptoms of depression. The relations between the presence of depressive symptoms, as a dependent variable, and a set of independent variables was examined by univariate and multivariate logistic regressions. Depression (PHQ-8 score≥10) was registered in 10% of the population aged 65 and above, wherein it was statistically significantly higher in women (12.7%) than in men (6.5%). Limitations in performing of daily activities showed to be the strongest predictor of depression in the elderly, while respondents who have had serious limitations had even six times more chanse to develop depression (OR=6.84). Respondents who rated their health as “bad or very bad” for 49.5% more frequently manifested depressive symptoms compared to those who evaluated their health as “very good or good” (OR=3.49). Respondents who have had two or more chronic diseases were three times more likely to have depression (OR=3.1) compared to people without chronic disease.

Socio-Medical Aspects of Depression Among Elderly Adults in Serbia

Department of Social medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences

Department of Hygiene and ecology, Faculty of Medical Sciences

Experimental and Applied Biomedical Research (EABR)

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

SOCIJALNO-MEDICINSKI ASPEKTI DEPRESIJE KOD STARIH OSOBA U SRBIJI

Depression is the most frequent mental health problem in older age with serious consequences on personal, interpersonal and social level. The aim of this study...

Socio-Medical Aspects of Depression Among Elderly Adults in Serbia

Article Category: Original Scientific Article

Published Online: Dec 31, 2019

Page range: 327 - 335

Received: Nov 07, 2017

Accepted: Nov 16, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sjecr-2017-0065

Keywords
depression, elderly adults, risk factors, national health survey

© 2019 Svetlana Radevic et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Socio-Medical Aspects of Depression Among Elderly Adults in Serbia

Article Category: Original Scientific Article

Published Online: Dec 31, 2019

Page range: 327 - 335

Received: Nov 07, 2017

Accepted: Nov 16, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sjecr-2017-0065

Keywordsdepression, elderly adults, risk factors, national health survey

© 2019 Svetlana Radevic et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
depression, elderly adults, risk factors, national health survey