Prevalence of Depression and its Related Factors during the COVID-19 Quarantine Among the Elderly in Iran

Objectives: The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to its rapid transmission has created an emergency situation in global health in less than a few months around the world. This disease not only causes public health concerns but also causes a number of psychological illnesses including depression. The present study aims to investigate the prevalence of depression during the COVID-19 quarantine among the elderly in Iran. Methods & Materials: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted on 432 eligible older adults living in Gonabad city who were selected by cluster random sampling method. Data were collected by a demographic checklist and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) which were completed via phone. Collected data were analyzed in SPSS software using descriptive and inferential statistics, considering a significance level of P<0.05. Results: The prevalence of depression was 55.8% which had a statistically significant relationship with marital status (P<0.001), living status (P<0.001), economic status (P<0.001), family history of depression (P<0.001), history of chronic disease (P<0.003), level of education (P<0.001), and sleep quality (P<0.001). Conclusion: Depression has a high prevalence among the elderly in Gonabad city during the COVID-19 quarantine. In this regard, related interventions for this group should be considered in the plans of health care providers.