LEVEL OF DEPRESSION AMONG SENIOR CITIZENS: A GENDER COMPARISON IN URBAN COMMUNITIES

Abstract

Depression is a common mental health concern among Senior Citizens, with significant implications for quality of life and overall well-being. This study examines the levels of depression Among Senior Citizens and its association with Gender. This study utilizes Descriptive design, analysing data from a 100 sample of urban community-dwelling elderly men and women aged 60 and above. The level of depression was assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), a widely validated tool for screening depression in older adults. Demographic data, including age, gender, marital status, and socio-economic status, needs of elderly population were assessed  as well the data related to chronic health problems were also collected to identify potential confounding factors. The analysis reveals that elderly women generally have higher needs in almost all categories compared to men, particularly in financial, food/nutrition, caregiver support, health, social engagement, and safety/security. The health issues analysis reveals that arthritis, hypertension, and diabetes are the most common chronic diseases within the population, affecting large segments of individuals. Depression is also notably prevalent, highlighting the importance of addressing both physical and mental health needs. Geriatric depression analysis shows that calculated Chi-square value (8.368) is greater than the critical value (5.99), we reject the null hypothesis. This suggests that there is a statistically significant difference in the levels of depression Senior Citizens men and women in the urban community. This analysis implies that gender may influence the distribution of depression levels in this population,