Abstract
•Older adult data analysed for common mental disorders from National mental health survey, India.•Older adults had higher prevalence of depressive disorders and any psychiatric morbidity than young adults.•Female sex, urban living, unemployment and lower income associated with common mental disorders in older adults.•Unlike young adults, marriage was a protective factor against depression for older adults.
We estimate the prevalence of common mental disorders (CMD) among older adults and compare them with that of younger adults at the national level.
We analysed data on older adults from the National Mental Health Survey of India undertaken across 6 regions and 12 states of India during 2015–16. Multi-stage cluster sampling technique was adopted which permitted state level and subsequently pooled national estimates. Mini International NeuroPsychiatric Interview (MINI) adult version 6.0 was used for measuring psychiatric morbidity.
Older adults had a higher lifetime (6.93%) and current (3.53%) prevalence of depressive disorders as compared to the younger adults (4.96% and 2.54%). There was no difference in the prevalence of anxiety disorders in different agegroups. The most prevalent anxiety disorder in older adults was specific phobias (1.72%) followed by agoraphobia (1.6%). All CMD in the older population were more common in females, those living in urban metros, the unemployed, who were not currently married and those with lower household income.
These findings support planning better mental health policies and programs for older adults in India.