Elderly depression in India: An emerging public health challenge

Abstract

Today, depression is an important public health challenge in<br>developing countries. This problem is not new, in 1990, the<br>World Health Organization (WHO) described depression as a<br>major, worldwide cause of disability. Mental and behavioural<br>disorders are estimated to account for 12% of the global<br>burden of disease which affects approximately 450 million<br>people.1 However, most countries allocate less than 1% of<br>their total health expenditures to mental health budgets.2<br>Depression, along with other mental health disorders, has<br>long been segregated and neglected. The elderly age group<br>comprise a particularly vulnerable group as they often have<br>multiple co-existing medical and psychological problems.<br>Cardiovascular diseases, respiratory disorders, hearing and<br>visual impairments, depression, and infections such as<br>tuberculosis are common problems in elderly populations.3<br>Depression is under treated in this age group,1 and perhaps<br>particularly so because it is not yet perceived as a priority<br>public health problem in developing countries.