title: Prevalence of depression and associated risk factors among the elderly in Middle Anatolia, Turkey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence of depression among the elderly, and to examine the relationship between depression and dependency in activities of daily living.
  
  
  METHODS
  According to the records of the Beylikova Community Health Center, there were 251 individuals aged 65 years and older living in the town center, and 203 (80.8%) of them had been reached. The depression status was assessed by using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Katz's Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Scale, and Lawton and Brody's Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) Scale. Among the statistical analyses, the χ(2) -test and Spearman's correlation analysis were used. A value of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of depression was found to be 45.8% (93 persons). The prevalence of depression was significantly higher in women, in those with a history of any chronic disease and in those living alone. The scores on the GDS and thus the severity of depression decreased with increasing scores on ADL and IADL scales (for each, P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Depression seen in nearly every second older individual implies that the problem is very common. It was concluded that primary healthcare should be integrated into community-based care, and it would be appropriate to plan early diagnosis and treatment programs for the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Eskisehir Osmangazi University Medical Faculty, Meselik-Eskisehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Didem
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Arslantas
authors.forename: Alaettin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ünsal
authors.forename: Demet
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ozbabalık
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population
keywords: activities of daily living; elderly; geriatric depression scale; instrumental activities of daily living; population-based study