Introduction:

Depression is a Public Health problem worldwide. Older adults are within vulnerable age groups.

Objective:

To determine the frequency of depression in older adults in grandparents' homes in the Holguín municipality.

Methods:

A descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out from a quantitative approach from August 2019 to March 2020. The universe was made up of 84 older adults from the grandparents' houses of the Holguín municipality. The sample was selected probabilistically and it was made up of 66 older adults. Sociodemographic variables, personal psychopathological history, functionality, cognitive functioning and depression were considered. The semi-structured interview, the mini-mental state examination, the Yesavage geriatric depression scale, the Katz index, the Lawton scale and the documentary review were used. The results were processed in Epidat 3.1 and MedCalc.

Results:

A smaller percentage of subjects presented depression. Males, in the age range of 71-80 years, whites, with a primary education level, widowers, with children, who lived alone, with chronic diseases, with a personal history of mental disorder and without cognitive impairment had the highest percent.

Conclusions:

The frequency of depression in the elderly in the grandparents' houses of the Holguín municipality was low. Depression predominated in male subjects, white, age range 71-80 years, with primary education level, widowers, living alone, with children, with chronic diseases, with a personal history of mental disorder and without cognitive impairment.

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