Cognitive social capital and geriatric depression: A community-based case-control study among the rural elderly people of Bangladesh

Background: Geriatric depression results in additional difficulties for older people and their residing society. The case-control study intended to assess the association between cognitive social capital and depression in rural older people.

Methods: We conducted this study from January to December 2020 among 420 rural tenants aged ≥60 years in Bangladesh. We enrolled 210 older persons with depression as cases and another 210 without depression as controls. We used a semi-structured questionnaire, the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), and a cluster sampling technique to collect data through face-to-face interviews. We performed quality control checks and followed all ethics guidelines.

Findings: Geriatric depression had a significant association with gender (p = 0.006), marital status (p < 0.001), education (p < 0.001), occupation (p = 0.001), family type (p < 0.001), family size (p < 0.001), number of family members (p < 0.001), and monthly family income (p < 0.001) of the rural older adults. Both interpersonal trust (p < 0.001) and reciprocity (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with geriatric depression. The older adults who didn't believe in interpersonal trust (OR = 6.8, p = 0.002) and who disagreed with reciprocity (OR = 31.1, p < 0.001) were more likely to have depression.

Implications: The study findings can contribute to formulating cognitive social capital policy and interventions to promote the psychological well-being of rural older people by alleviating geriatric depression.