SOUSA, K. A.; http://lattes.cnpq.br/5878194147917784; SOUSA, Karolliny Abrantes de.
Resumen:
The old age is the fastest growing age group. Proportionally, the appearance of diseases that
reach this specific group is increased, standing out depression, most common mental illness in
elderly people. Sets up a major public health problem, being often underdiagnosed and
untreated. The main objective of this research is to determine the prevalence of depression in
elderly people registered in a Family Health Strategy of Cajazeiras city, PB. It is a descriptive
field research with a quantitative approach in a sample of 153 elderly. The data collection was
carried out through home interviews using socio-demographic questionnaire and application
of the Geriatric Depression Scale of Yesavage with 15 items (GDS-15). To evaluate the
associations between depressive symptoms and sociodemographic variables we used the
Poisson Regression statistical model, where gross prevalence ratios were calculated and
adjusted with a confidence interval of 95%. It was identified prevalence of depression in
28.1% of the elderly, where the most important associations in this study were female sex,
widowed and divorced marital status, irreligious people, with chronic diseases, retirees and
pensioners. Living with partners and family members proved to be a protective factor. When
done multivariate regression analysis, the variables that remained significant for higher
prevalence of depression were irreligious people and with chronic disease. It was concluded
that strategies aimed at identification of depressive symptoms and associated factors are
important in the elderly health care and may help health professionals, mainly at primary care
level, to understand the reality of these individuals, as well as early diagnosis and intervene
appropriately in the prevention or treatment of disease.
