Prevalence and risk factors for depression in older people in Xi'an China: a community-based study

To estimate the prevalence of depressive symptoms and to determine the impact of socio-demographic variables, chronic diseases and health-related events on depression in a community sample of older adults in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province.

Cross sectional, multistage community survey. A semi-structured questionnaire including socio-demographic characteristics, physical health, chronic diseases and health-related events was administered to 1587 older adults from eight communities. Depression was assessed using the 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) with a threshold of <11/11+. Analysis was conducted using SPSS16.0 Complex Samples Logistic analysis procedure.

The prevalence of depression was 27.0% (95% CI 24.7-29.2%). In a univariate analysis, the following variables were significantly associated with depression: female gender, low max income, coronary heart disease, suffering 3 or above chronic diseases and functional impairments, 4 adverse life events (financial problems, death of closely related person, unpleasantness experience and horrifying experience) and suffering 1 or above adverse life events. After adjustment for age and gender, odds ratios for depression were significantly higher for coronary heart disease, suffering 3 or above chronic diseases and functional impairments, adverse life event (financial problems, unpleasantness experience) and suffering 3 or above adverse life events.

According to GDS estimates, 27.0% Chinese urban older adult had depression symptoms. In designing prevention programs, detection and management of older patients with depression should be a high priority in developing countries.