Dissatisfaction with life and absence of leisure time activity: clues to overt depression and occult suicide risk in elderly individuals without significant disabling disease

Background Depression is a major public health problem in all ages. Besides other chronic physical diseases, it is one of the most common psychiatric disorders observed in the elderly. In this study, it was aimed to determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms and related factors and to draw attention to occult suicide probability in elderly people without significant disabling disease. Methods Individuals aged 65 and over, who were randomly selected from a family healthcare centre, were enrolled into the study. Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) was used to assess prevalence of depression and Suicide Probability Scale (SPS) for risk of suicide. Results There were 323 elderly (F/M: 150/173). Mean age was 73.3 +/- 6.1 years. The majority had chronic physical illnesses (77.7%). Mean GDS and SPS scores were 11.07 +/- 4.6 and 62.91 +/- 8.24, respectively. Prevalence of depression was 27.6%. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, living without a spouse (P = 0.047, Exp(B) = 1.744, 95% CI = 1.008-3.01), dissatisfaction with life (P < 0.001, Exp(B) = 5.327, 95% CI = 3.02-9.36) and having no leisure time activity (P = 0.047, Exp(B) = 1.846, 95% CI = 1.009-3.37) were found to be the independent predictors of presence of depression, as indicated by GDS. In logistic regression analysis, dissatisfaction with life (P < 0.001, Exp(B) = 2.631, 95% CI = 1.53-4.50) was found to be an independent predictor of high SPS scores. Conclusion In elderly individuals without overt disabling disease, dissatisfaction with life, absence of leisure time activities, and a life without a partner seem to significantly increase the likelihood of overt depression. On the other hand, there is occult increase in suicide risk in the presence of dissatisfaction with their lives in the elderly.