title: Psychosocial assessment of geriatric subjects in Abha City, Saudi Arabia.
abstract: Psychosocial assessment of geriatric subjects was carried out through a home-based survey of people aged 65 years and over (n = 810) in the catchment areas of 3 primary health care centres. All the participants had a structured interview and were given a short version of the geriatric depression scale. Depression was found in 17.5% of the subjects, more commonly in women (27.7% versus 12.7%). The combined effect of impaired perceived health status (52.4%) and functional capacity (26.6%), loneliness (4.5%), single status (24.3%), and lack of education (80.5%) explained 23.7% of the variance in depression score by multiple regression analysis. Depression is a problem among the geriatric population in the region, especially women. Periodic home psychosocial screening of geriatrics is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Abolfotouh
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Daffallah
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Khattab
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Abdulmoneim
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008132:Loneliness; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*