Prevalence and Factors Associated with Depression in Older Adults in Tabriz, Iran: Data from the Health Status of Aged People in Tabriz (HSA-T Study)

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of depression and identify the factors predicting depression among older people. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting(s): Tabriz, the capital city of the East Azerbaijan Province in northwestern Iran. Participants: A representative sample of≥60 years who were not institutionalized participated in this study. A total of 1071 participants (514 males and 557 females) were selected using the probability proportional to the size (PPS) sampling method. Outcome Measures: Depression, perceived social support, socioeconomic status (SES), and life satisfaction were assessed using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Socioeconomic Status Questionnaire for Urban Households (SES Iran), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), respectively. Results: Depression was highly prevalent among Iranian older adults, and more than 77.0% (95% confidence interval (CI: 0.75-0.80) of the participants suffered from some level of depression. In addition, the prevalence of depression was significantly higher among women (85.0% vs. 70.0%, P<0.001). Furthermore, being female, older age, lower levels of physical activity, lower perceived social support, and lower life satisfaction were all associated with depression severity. Conclusions: The high prevalence of depression among older people in Iran and the significant role of social factors highlight the need to use a multidimensional approach when developing interventions to reduce depression among older adults.