Prevalence of depressive symptoms and its associated factors among elderly in private nursing homes in Kuantan

Abstract

Mental health constitutes a major component of the global burden of disease worldwide. As Malaysia is becoming an aged nation by 2030, it is crucial to address the issues affecting the elderly, including physical and mental well-being. Residing in a nursing home poses a greater challenge for the elderly physically and mentally. However, there is still a lack of awareness of mental health issues among the elderly in nursing homes, which could place them at greater morbidity if disregarded. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms and its associated factors among the elderly in private nursing homes in Kuantan. This was a cross-sectional study conducted at thirteen private nursing homes in Kuantan. The inclusion criteria are Malaysian citizens aged 60 years old and above residing in private nursing homes in Kuantan. The exclusion criteria are those with schizophrenia and severe cognitive impairment. One hundred fifteen elderly residents aged 60 years old and above were recruited to complete the interview-based questionnaire, which consists of four sections; the sociodemographic profiles, the Malay Geriatric Depression Scale (M-GDS-14), the Elderly Cognitive Assessment Questionnaire (ECAQ), and the Modified Barthel Index (MBI). In the data analysis, a descriptive statistic was used to measure the prevalence and logistic regression to explore the association of depressive symptoms with the background variables. The mean age of respondents was 74.1(SD ± 8.87). The majority were Chinese (67%). Male respondents constitute half (51.4%) of the total respondents. The overall prevalence of depressive symptoms was 40%, with 23.5% major depression and 16.5% clinically significant depression. This study revealed a significant association between depressive symptoms with chronic disease {AOR 3.956, CI 95% (1.071-14.608)}, cognitive impairment {AOR 3.185, CI 95% (1.325-7.655)}, and functional disabilities {AOR 4.314, CI 95% (1.799-10.345)}. This study revealed more than one-third of the elderly in nursing homes live with depressive symptoms. Residents with chronic diseases, cognitive impairment, and functionally dependent should receive greater attention. Screening of depressive symptoms should be prioritized to the targeted high-risk group as early recognition and intervention are crucial to prevent further disability and dysfunction.