Prevalence of Depression among Iranian Elderly: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Observational Studies

Background: Depression is a common mental disorder that affects a significant portion of older adults. In Iran, there is limited information on the prevalence of depression among this population. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the pooled prevalence of depression among Iranian elderly individuals. Objectives: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies examining the prevalence of depression among Iranian elderly people. Methods: We searched various electronic databases, including SID, MagIran, PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, for articles published from January ۲۰۰۰ to December ۲۰۲۲. The keywords "senile depression," "geriatric depression," "elderly," "depression," "depressive disorder," and "Iran" or any combination of these terms were used. Two writers worked separately on data extraction and quality evaluation. Results: Twenty-four studies met our inclusion criteria, yielding an overall prevalence rate of depression among Iranian elderly individuals of ۵۳.۷% (۹۵% CI: ۴۳.۱-۶۴.۴). Gender subgroup analysis revealed that the prevalence of depression was significantly higher in women (۵۰%, ۹۵% CI: ۴۲.۳-۶۹.۷) compared to men (۴۲.۲%, ۹۵% CI: ۲۸.۲-۵۶.۳). Furthermore, we found a statistically significant association between the sample size of the studies and the prevalence of depression (p = ۰.۰۰۹). Conclusion: Our study suggests that depression is a major public health concern among Iranian elderly individuals. These findings underscore the need for further research into the underlying factors contributing to depression in this population and the development of effective interventions to address it.

Keywords:

depression , Prevalence , Elderly , Iran , Meta-analysis