title: Proportion of depression among the elderly population in a rural health care setting.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Depression among elderly has serious public health implications. Integration of mental health into primary care may help in reaching the elderly population better and in identifying depression among them.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was done to determine the proportion and the correlates of depression among the elderly population which attended the rural psychiatry services and to compare the proportion with that of the middle aged population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The outpatient data of the past one year in the rural psychiatry centre was analysed. Correlates of depression among the elderly were studied by Chi square test and the proportion in elderly was compared with that of the middle aged population using Z-test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Depression among the elderly attendees was significantly higher than that in the middle aged group. Depression was more common among the young old and females and co-morbidities were more commonly seen in males and the young old compared to those who were aged 80 years and above.
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate, Department of Community Medicine, K S Hegde Medical Academy , Nitte University .
authors.forename: Shreyaswi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sathyanath M
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, K S Hegde Medical Academy , Nitte University .
authors.forename: Rashmi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kundapur
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, K S Hegde Medical Academy , Nitte University .
authors.forename: Shrinivasa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhat U
authors.affiliation: Professor and Head, Department of Community Medicine, K S Hegde Medical Academy , Nitte University .
authors.forename: N Udaya
authors.initials: NU
authors.lastname: Kiran
keywords: Depression; Peripheral healthcare ligament; Rural psychiatry services