Depressive Symptoms Versus Depression in Older Adults in a Rural Community

Depression is a mood disorder characterized by loss of interest or pleasure in activities of daily living. Frequent and disabling geriatric syndrome that often goes unnoticed, which generates physical and functional. The objective was to know the depressive symptoms in older adults in a rural community in the state of Puebla, Mexico. Study was descriptive, correlational, cross, made of 155 seniors was an applied to Scale Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression CES-D and the Scale of Yesavage. The age range of older adults was 60 to 90 years, with a predominance of female gender in 65.2%, the CES-D reported 18.7% were found no clinical y significant symptoms, 70.3% in symptoms of sub- threshold depression, 9% in possible major depressive episode, 1.9% in probable major depressive episode. Similar results to those of Scale of Yesavage 43.2% found no evidence of depression, 32.9% with mild depression, 17.4% with moderate depression and 6.5% with severe depression. Noticing a difference by gender (Women=8482.00, Male=3608.00, p=.023). Knowing depressive symptoms in older adults can implement care interventions based on scientific evidence.