Anxiety and depression among elderly in the community

Anxiety and depression disorders are a serious problem among elders and its frequency is often underestimated. The aim of this study was to record the frequency of anxiety and depression in a sample of elderly people, such as those who visit the KAPI community centers in the provincial town of Lamia. 165 elders were initially enrolled in the study, 20 women, 121 men , while 20 persons refused to state their gender and age. 4 persons refused participation at all.The questionnaire of Bedford & Foulds was administered. The mean age of the respondents was 75.59+/-6.29 yrs. High frequency of anxiety and depression symptoms was found, statistically higher in comparison to the general population. Women slightly surpassed men in scoring on both scales, however not statistically significant. There is a great necessity of interventions towards the treatment of anxiety and depression in community –dwelling elderly .