Behavior of biopsychosocial factors in depression in the elderly in the community

Abstract

Introduction: depression is a disease of high impact on public health, which causes high morbi-mortality, being estimated that it is present in more than 450 million people in the world and that one in four will suffer some problem of this type throughout their lives, including the elderly, and has a negative impact on the world economy. 
Objective: to determine the influence of biopsychosocial factors on the depressive state of older adults in the Pedro Borrás health area of the municipality of Pinar del Río in the period 2020 to 2022. 
Methods: a prospective analytical study was carried out; the universe consisted of 358 older adults of the community, a simple random sample of 142 older adults who presented depression in that period was selected, theoretical, empirical and descriptive statistical methods were used, given in number and percentage. 
Results: most of the sample under study belonged to the female sex and to the age group between 70 and 74 years old, predominantly housewives and retired people; they belonged to small families, the older adults lived with other older adults and with grandchildren under their care; the symptom was more accentuated with the COVID-19 pandemic, they referred to feeling cared for by relatives, they generally consume drugs such as anxiolytics. 
Conclusions: diagnosis, timely and personalized treatment, through psychotherapy, support groups and pharmacological treatment, are the most effective and economical ways to provide better living conditions to patients afflicted by depression.