Depression Among India’s Older Adults: The Burdens and Challenges of a Widespread Disease

Mental health disorders, particularly depression, are significant contributors to the global burden of disease. This study aims to explore the prevalence and consequences of depression among older adults, focusing on current challenges and effective interventions. This study used data for the older adult population (age 60 years and above) from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI). Descriptive statistics along with logistic regression was used to examine the disease burdens and challenges, and to investigate the relationships between depression and the various socio-economic factors. Prevalence of depression was observed in 20.1% of the older adult population out of which more than half (51.3%) of the older adults were noted to be severely depressed. Percentage of the older adults suffering from depression was found to be increasing with age. The odds of females having depression were higher than males (OR = 2.71, p < 0.01) and the richest quintile older adults (OR =  − 0.79, p < 0.05) were more likely to suffer from depression than the poorest quintile older adults. Only 1.9% depressed older adults sought out-patient care while for in-patient care this percentage was as low as 0.36%. The fact that 21.1% of the older adults sought out-patient depression treatment from pharmacists and traditional/folk healers reflects stigma. The mean out-of-pocket expenditure for in-patient care for depression was ₹18,002 (₹3305 public; 29,307 private) and that for out-patient care was ₹1176 (₹1062 public; 1340 private). Depression-stricken older adults have reported a lower quality of life. Depression in the older adults is a pervasive and severe issue in India, necessitating urgent attention and action from policymakers, healthcare providers, and society at large.