title: Prevalence and risk factors for depression in older people in Xi'an China: a community-based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
  
  
  RESULTS
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Statistics, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yunming
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Changsheng
authors.forename: Tu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Haibo
authors.forename: Cao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wenjun
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shanhong
authors.forename: Ma
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yongyong
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qianzhen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires