Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Multicenter Study
. 2007 Sep 15;370(9591):957-64.
doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61446-9.

Epidemiology of major depressive disorder in elderly Nigerians in the Ibadan Study of Ageing: a community-based survey

Oye Gureje  1 , Lola Kola, Ebenezer Afolabi
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Epidemiology of major depressive disorder in elderly Nigerians in the Ibadan Study of Ageing: a community-based survey

Oye Gureje et al. Lancet. .

Abstract

Background: The growing populations of elderly people in sub-Saharan Africa are exposed to social changes with potential adverse effects on mental health. Our aim was to estimate the occurrence and effect of major depressive disorder in a large and representative community sample of elderly Africans.

Methods: Face-to-face interviews with a representative sample of people aged 65 years and older (n=2152) were obtained by a multistage stratified sampling of households in the Yoruba-speaking areas of Nigeria (about 22% of the national population). Major depressive disorder was assessed with the WHO composite international diagnostic interview and diagnosed with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition.

Findings: Lifetime and 12-month prevalence estimates of major depressive disorder were 26.2% (95% CI 24.3-28.2) and 7.1% (5.9-8.3) respectively. Female sex (odds ratio [OR] 1.9) and increasing levels of urbanisation of residence (OR 1.4) were associated with this disorder. People with major depressive disorder had impaired quality of life and functioning in home, work, and social roles. Independent ratings of symptom severity confirmed the presence of clinically significant depression in 96.9% of those with diagnosis, and increasing symptom severity was associated with greater disability and poorer quality of life. Only about 37% of lifetime cases had received any treatment, and there was a mean delay of 5 years from onset of depression to receipt of first treatment. Low economic status (0.3) and rural residence (1.0) predicted no treatment.

Interpretation: Major depressive disorder is common in elderly Nigerians and its occurrence is related to urbanisation. This disorder is a seriously disabling illness in this group but only a few sufferers have ever received treatment. Health-care services need to invest in effective treatment programmes for major depressive disorder.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in

References

    1. Murray C, Lopez A. The global burden of diseases: A comprehensive Assessment of Mortality and Disability From Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors in 1990 and Projected to 2020. Harvard School of Public Health: World Health Organization and World Bank; Boston, Mass: 1996.
    1. Ustun TB, Ayuso-Mateos JL, Chatterji S, Mathers C, Murray CJL. Global burden of depressive disorder in the year 2000. British Journal of Psychiatry. 2004;184:386–392. - PubMed
    1. World Health Organization Health futures. 1999. Available: http://www.who.int/hpr/expo.
    1. Wilson KC, Chen R, Taylor S, McCracken CF, Copeland JR. Socio-economid deprivation and the prevalence and prediction of depression in older community residents: the MRC-ALPHA Study. British Journal of Psychatry. 1999;175:549–553. - PubMed
    1. Cole MG, Dendukuri N. Risk factors for depression among elderly community subjects: a systematic review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Psychiatry. 2003;160:1147–1156. - PubMed

Publication types