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Prevalence of Depression Among Elderly Patients Attending a Primary Health Care Clinic

Sherina M.S., and Jefferelli S.B., and Noor Zurani M.H.R., and Noorlia Yahaya, (2002) Prevalence of Depression Among Elderly Patients Attending a Primary Health Care Clinic. Malaysian Journal of Psychiatry, 10 (2). pp. 23-27. ISSN 0128-8628

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Affiliations

Universiti Putra Malaysia, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dept. of Community Health
Universiti Putra Malaysia, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dept. of Community Health
University of Malaya, Faculty or Medicine, Dept. of Primary Care Medicine
Ministry of Health, Kulim Health District

Abstract

Depression Is the most common psychiatric disorder among the elderly. It is animportant problem in primary care practice. The objective of this study was toassess the prevalence of d pression among the elderly patients attending a primaryhealth care clinic in Malaysia and to identify its associated factors. The Geriatric Depression Scale questionnaire was used as a screening Instrument. 18% of the patients were found to have significant depressive symptoms. The associatedfactors identified were gender, marital status, educational level, total Income,occupation, living arrangement, place of residence and ethnicity. Further clinicalevaluation using the DSM IV Criteria for major depression revealed that two-thirdsof the patients with significant depressive symptoms were suffering from majordepression. In conclusion, the prevalence of depression among the elderly primarycare patients was 12%. Therefore, primary care doctors should take extra care todetect depression when managing elderly patients.

Item Type:Journal
Additional Information:We thank Drs Lai Fong Hwa, Shamsul Azhar Shah,Norsiah MatNoor and Professor Dr Azhar Md Zain,Dean ofthe Faculty ofMedicine and Health Sciences,Universiti Putra Malaysia for all their help andsupport. We also thank the State Director of HealthPulau Pinang, Dr Azmi Shapie for his permission topublish.
Keywords:Depression, Depressive symptoms, Elderly, Primary Care, Associated factors. psychiatry
Subjects:R Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Nursing
ID Code:7588

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