Abstract
ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to examine associated factors of depression and insomnia in community-dwelling elderly people in order to identify independent predictors.Materials and methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 250 older people aged 60 years and over living in an urban area. A stratified random sampling method was used for recruiting samples from five Open Care Centers for Elderly People of the Municipality of Larissa, Greece. Data were obtained through a questionnaire that included demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related characteristics, 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), and Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS). Simple and multiple logistic regression analysis was performed.ResultsThe prevalence of depression and insomnia was 28.4% (95% CI: 22.9-33.9) and 39.2% (95% CI: 33.0-45.4), respectively. Our findings showed that the overall GDS-15 score was positively related to the overall AIS score (r = 0.405; p < 0.001). The best-fit regression analysis demonstrated four significant predictors (marital status, monthly income, body weight status, and insomnia) explaining 31.6% of the variance in depression risk. Moreover, community-dwelling elderly Greek people with insomnia symptoms were females, had a lower monthly income, and more likely to suffer from chronic diseases and depression.ConclusionThese findings point to the importance of recognizing risk factors for both depression and insomnia in attempting to apply preventive interventions in the elderly and optimize their quality of life.
Highlights
According to the United Nations data, there were 727 million persons aged 65 years or above in the world in 2020
The prevalence of depression and insomnia was 28.4% and 39.2%, respectively
Our findings showed that the overall GDS-15 score was positively related to the overall Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) score (r = 0.405; p < 0.001)
Summary
According to the United Nations data, there were 727 million persons aged 65 years or above in the world in 2020. The overall reduction in fertility causes the proportion of older people to increase over time. A high proportion of elderly people are reported to have “poor mental health”. A recent meta-analysis of 120 studies, which were conducted in South Asian countries, revealed that the overall pooled prevalence of depression among the elderly was 42.0% [3]. A previous meta-analysis of 25 studies from Western countries (Europe and North America) found a prevalence of depressive symptoms among older adults living in the community at 19.5% [4]. Epidemiological data from eight large aging cohort studies from 18 countries around the world estimated the overall prevalence of geriatric depression at 29.6% (SD = 45.6), which ranged from 17.1% (Denmark) to 63.7% (Chile) [5]. Differences in estimates of the prevalence of depression among elderly populations may be related to the use of different methodologies, depression screening tools, and characteristics of the samples, and probably due to different sociocultural contexts between countries
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