Rural-Urban Differences in the Factors Affecting Depressive Symptoms among Older Adults of Two Regions in Myanmar.

Yuri Sasaki,Yugo Shobugawa,Thae Zarchi Bo,Ikuma Nozaki,Tomofumi Sone,Hla Hla Win,Yuki Shirakura,Kay Thi Lwin,Daisuke Takagi,Poe Ei Zin,Yuiko Nagamine,Masafumi Funato,Yuki Chihara

doi:10.3390/ijerph18062818

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate rural–urban differences in depressive symptoms in terms of the risk factors among older adults of two regions in Myanmar to provide appropriate intervention for depression depending on local characteristics. This cross-sectional study, conducted between September and December, 2018, used a multistage sampling method to recruit participants from the two regions, for face-to-face interviews. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 15-item version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Depressive symptoms were positively associated with living in rural areas (B = 0.42; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.12,0.72), female (B = 0.55; 95% CI: 0.31,0.79), illness during the preceding year (B = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.45,0.91) and non-Buddhist religion (B = 0.57; 95% CI: 0.001,1.15) and protectively associated with education to middle school level or higher (B = −0.61; 95% CI: −0.94, −0.28) and the frequency of visits to religious facilities (B = −0.20; 95% CI: −0.30, −0.10). In women in urban areas, depressive symptoms were positively associated with illness during the preceding year (B = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.36, 1.20) and protectively associated with education to middle school level or higher (B = −0.67; 95% CI: −1.23, −0.11), middle or high wealth index (B = −0.92; 95% CI: −1.59, −0.25) and the frequency of visits to religious facilities (B = −0.20; 95% CI: −0.38, −0.03). In men in rural areas, illness during the preceding year was positively associated with depressive symptoms (B = 0.87; 95% CI: 0.33, 1.42). In women in rural areas, depressive symptoms were positively associated with illness during the preceding year (B = 0.83; 95% CI: 0.36, 1.30) and protectively associated with primary education (B = −0.62; 95% CI: −1.12, −0.12) and the frequency of visits to religious facilities (B = −0.44; 95% CI: −0.68, −0.21). Religion and wealth could have different levels of association with depression between older adults in the urban and rural areas and men and women. Interventions for depression in older adults should consider regional and gender differences in the roles of religion and wealth in Myanmar.

Highlights

Depressive symptoms are a serious concern for older adults and one of the leading causes of disease burden worldwide [1]
The current study aimed to examine whether a series of social, health and religious characteristics at the individual levels account for rural–urban differences in depressive symptoms among older adults of two regions in Myanmar
The ward is the minimum unit of a residential district in an urban area and the village tract is the corresponding level in rural areas

Summary

Introduction

Depressive symptoms are a serious concern for older adults and one of the leading causes of disease burden worldwide [1]. They have been shown to predict death [2], admission to a nursing home [3] and functional decline [4]. The prevalence of depression and these factors could vary substantially within countries and between countries [11,12,13]. Some of this variation could be explained by differences in methodology, subject characteristics and/or by cultural differences [5]

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Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion