Quality of Life and Mental Illnesses among the Elderly in Ogun East Senatorial District, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30442/ahr.1101-04-268Keywords:
Alcohol dependence, Anxiety, Depression, Elderly, Mental Illnesses, Quality of LifeAbstract
Background: In Nigeria, about a quarter of the population is afflicted with mental illnesses, and 3.26% of this population is made up of old people aged 65 years and above. The economic burden affiliated with mental illness includes health care costs, decreased productivity, and diminishing health-related quality of life (QoL). However, there is a paucity of data on mental illness and its relation to the QoL experienced by the elderly.
Objectives: To determine the prevalence of good and poor QoL and assess the relationship between mental illnesses and the QoL among the elderly in Ogun East Senatorial district.
Methods: This study was a community-based, cross-sectional survey targeting elderly individuals. A total of 402 participants were selected through multistage sampling and interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires.
Results: The prevalence of mental illness among the respondents was 35.8%. Among the mental health conditions, generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) was the most common finding (15.4%), followed closely by current alcohol dependence (14.9%). One hundred and fifty-two (37.8%) of the elderly had good QoL. The mental illnesses found to be statistically significant in association with poor QoL were current major depressive episodes, recurrent major depressive episodes, and current psychotic disorders.
Conclusion: This research highlights a significant prevalence of mental illness at 35.8% and poor quality of life at 37.8%. Additionally, major depressive episodes and psychotic disorders were notably linked to poor quality of life, emphasizing the need for targeted mental health interventions among the elderly emphasizing the need for targeted mental health interventions among the elderly.
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