Prevalence of Depression with Chronic Illness among the Elderly in a Rural Community in Malaysia

Introduction: Depression is the most common psychiatric disorder among the elderly. The hallmark of depression in the elderly is its comorbidity with medical illness. Aim: To determine the prevalence of depression and its association with chronic illness among the elderly in a rural community setting. Methods: A cross sectional study design was used. A 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale questionnaire was used as a screening instrument. Results: The prevalence of depression was higher among elderly with chronic illness (9.0%) compared to elderly without chronic illness (5.6%). Depression among the elderly was significantly associated with ischemic heart disease. Conclusion: The prevalence of depression among the elderly with chronic illness in the community is high. Primary care providers need to be vigilant when treating elderly patients in their care as depression is commonly found in this group.