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Prevalence of depressive symptoms among elderly in the city of Tremembé, Brazil: Preliminary findings of an epidemiological study

Prevalência de sintomas depressivos em idosos na cidade de Tremembé, Brasil: resultados preliminares de um estudo epidemiológico

ABSTRACT

Depression is a heterogeneous mental disease classified as a set of disorders, which manifest with a certain duration, frequency and intensity. The prevalence of depression in the elderly ranges from 0.5 to 16%.

Objective

To establish, in an epidemiological study, the prevalence of significant depressive symptoms in the population aged 60 years or older.

Methods:

Results of a cross-sectional epidemiological study, involving home visits, being carried out in the city of Tremembé, Brazil, were reported. The sample was randomly selected by drawing 20% of the population over 60 years from each of the city's census sectors. In this single-phase study, the assessment included clinical history, physical and neurological examination, cognitive evaluation, the Cornell scale and the Patient Health Questionnaire for psychiatric symptoms. Scores greater than or equal to 8 on the Cornell scale were taken to indicate the presence of depressive symptoms.

Results:

A total of 455 elders were assessed, and of these 169 (37.1%) had clinically significant depressive symptoms (CSDS). Depression prevalence was higher among women (p<0.001) and individuals with lower education (p=0.033). The Chi-square test for trends showed a significant relationship where lower socioeconomic status was associated with greater likelihood of depressive symptoms (p=0.005).

Conclusion:

The prevalence of depressive symptoms was high in this sample of the population-based study and was associated with female gender, low educational level and socioeconomic status. The assessment of the entire population sample must be completed.

Key words:
depression; elderly; prevalence

RESUMO

Depressão é uma doença mental heterogênea classificada como um conjunto de transtornos, que se manifestam numa certa duração, frequência e intensidade. A prevalência de depressão em idosos varia de 0,5 a 16%.

Objetivo:

estabelecer a prevalência de sintomas depressivos significantes em estudo epidemiológico em população acima de 60 anos.

Métodos:

Estudo epidemiológico do tipo transversal, no qual estão sendo realizadas visitas domiciliares na cidade de Tremembé, Brasil. A amostra foi aleatória, através do sorteio de 20% da população acima de 60 anos de cada setor censitário do município. Este estudo é de única fase, sendo realizada anamnese, exames físico e neurológico, avaliação cognitiva e aplicação de escalas de Cornell e questionário Patient Health Questionnaire para verificar sintomas psiquiátricos. Foi adotado como critério da presença de sintomas depressivos, pontuação maior ou igual a 8 na escala de Cornell.

Resultados:

Foram avaliadas 455 pessoas e destas 169 (37,1%) apresentaram sintomas depressivos significativos clinicamente (SDSC). A maior prevalência foi entre as mulheres (p<0,001) e com escolaridade mais baixa (p=0,033). Quando realizado o teste de qui-quadrado de tendência, houve relação significativa, à medida que diminui o nível socioeconômico, aumenta a chance da presença de sintomas depressivos (p=0,005).

Conclusão:

A prevalência de sintomas depressivos foi elevada nesta amostra do estudo populacional e com associação com gênero feminino, baixo nível educacional e socioeconômico, mas há necessidade de finalizar toda amostragem.

Palavras-chave:
depressão; idosos; prevalência

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Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    Jul-Sep 2013

History

  • Received
    07 June 2013
  • Accepted
    15 Aug 2013
Academia Brasileira de Neurologia, Departamento de Neurologia Cognitiva e Envelhecimento R. Vergueiro, 1353 sl.1404 - Ed. Top Towers Offices, Torre Norte, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, CEP 04101-000, Tel.: +55 11 5084-9463 | +55 11 5083-3876 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
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