Hossain, Biplop, Kayes, Imran, Shimul, Monir Hossain, Mahmud, Tamim, Joty, Ferdous Ara, Hassan, Nayeem, Ahmed, Foysal, Khan, Hafiz T.A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1817-3730, Khandker, Salamat, Chowdhury, A.B.M. Alauddin and Haque, Imdadul (2026) Prevalence of depressive symptoms and associated factors among older adults in coastal Bangladesh: a community-based cross-sectional study. Mental Illness (1). ISSN 2036-7457

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Abstract

Background:

Depressive symptoms in later life are a major public health concern among older adults globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries with limited mental health services. In Bangladesh, the aging population faces socioeconomic disadvantage, chronic health conditions, and restricted healthcare access. Older adults in coastal regions are additionally exposed to environmental hazards such as cyclone, flooding, coastal erosion, salinity intrusion, or environmentally related displacement, which may increase psychological stress and vulnerability to depressive symptoms.

Methods:

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2025 to February 2026 in selected coastal districts of Bangladesh, including Bhola, Patuakhali, Cox′s Bazar, and Chittagong. A total of 386 adults aged 60 years and above were selected through simple random sampling from household listings. Data were collected via structured face-to-face interviews using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) and questionnaires on sociodemographic, lifestyle, health, and environmental factors. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with depressive symptoms.

Results:

Among 386 participants, 158 (40.9%; 95% CI: 36.1–45.9%) screened positive for depressive symptoms, including 98 (25.4%) with mild, 51 (13.2%) with moderate, and 9 (2.3%) with severe symptom severity. In adjusted analyses, physical weakness (AOR = 2.17; 95% CI: 1.33–3.55) and environmental stressor exposure (AOR = 2.30; 95% CI: 1.66–3.19) were associated with higher odds of depressive symptoms. Lack of involvement in daily activities (AOR = 1.65; 95% CI: 1.24–2.19), absence of regular exercise (AOR = 1.42; 95% CI: 1.09–1.86), unhealthy eating habits (AOR = 1.55; 95% CI: 1.16–2.07), and absence of recreational facilities (AOR = 1.46; 95% CI: 1.12–1.90) were also independently associated with higher odds. Vision/eye problems and hearing problems showed inverse associations in the revised analysis, whereas mobility problems and comorbidities were not statistically significant after adjustment.

Conclusions:

Depressive symptoms are highly prevalent among elderly populations in coastal Bangladesh and are associated with social, health, and environmental vulnerabilities. The findings may support consideration of community-based mental health screening and integration of psychosocial support into services for older adults in climate-vulnerable communities. However, these implications should be regarded as hypotheses for service planning rather than direct evidence of intervention effectiveness. Prospective and intervention studies are needed to determine whether targeted screening, psychosocial support, or disaster preparedness interventions improve mental health outcomes.

Item Type:	Article
Identifier:	10.1155/mij/5363841
Keywords:	Coastal Bangladesh ; depressive symptoms ; environmental stressors ; geriatric mental health ; older adults
Subjects:	Medicine and health > Health promotion and public health Medicine and health > Mental health
Date Deposited:	17 Sep 2026
Dates:	Date Publication status 15 September 2026 Published
School, department or research centre:	College of Nursing, Midwifery and Healthcare
Keywords:	Coastal Bangladesh ; depressive symptoms ; environmental stressors ; geriatric mental health ; older adults
URI:	https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/15322

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