Prevalence of Geriatric Depression among Attendants of the Family Medicine Outpatient Clinics, in Kasr Al-Ainy, Faculty of Medicine: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study

Aim: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with depression among senior attendants of the Family Medicine Clinics in Kasr Al-Ainy Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University. Methodology: The study was a cross-sectional descriptive survey conducted on 140 subjects. The target population was primary care users, aged 60 years and above, who utilized the Kasr Al-Ainy Family Medicine outpatient clinics between January and June, 2016. Each participant was subjected to a comprehensive medical assessment, El-Gilany Socioeconomic Status (SES) scale, the Arabic version of the Standardized Mini Mental Status Examination (SMMSE) and the Arabic version of the short form of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-SF). Results: More than half of the participants (n=76; 54.3%) screened positive for depressive symptoms. Fifty-eight par- ticipants (41.4%) had probable depression (GDS-15 score: 5- 10) and 18 participants (12.9%) had definite depression (GDS- 15 score >10). The main risk factors for geriatric depression were female gender (OR 3.2) and economic status below the 25th percentile (OR 3.4). Conclusions: Geriatric depression is a common health concern in the primary care level, and is especially prevalent in females and those who are economically disadvantaged.