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Introduction
Those over 60 years of age face multiple changes associated with ageing. For many people, a transformation in their roles appears, which sometimes leads to their being treated differently by family members and neighbors (Pérez and Arcia, 2008), and they face stigmas and socio-economic and cultural inequalities (ECLAC, 2016). In addition, according to the Pan American Health Organization [PAHO] (2013), 50% of older people suffering from mental illnesses, including depression, are admitted to psychiatric centers because they lack alternative treatment in the community, a situation that stigmatizes the elderly and has even worse consequences for their health.
Depression is a mood disorder, often characterized by deep sadness and lasting long enough to interfere with the individual's overall functioning (DSM-5 2016). It often presents symptoms such as a depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-esteem, decreased energy, sleep or appetite disturbance, psychomotor agitation or delay and poor concentration. In the worst case, depression can lead to suicidal thoughts and a substantial deterioration in the individual's overall daily functioning (Marcus et al., 2014).
Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide (WHO, 2018). Although it is less common in older people than in young adults, its consequences are more devastating and its duration is longer in the elderly (Fiske et al., 2009; Wittchen and Uhmann, 2010). Currently, late-life or elderly depression has been classified as a major public health problem due to its high prevalence (Yaka et al., 2014), its negative and devastating impact on quality of life and its association with higher mortality (WHO, 2017; Vink et al., 2008). Its origin is multicausal and is associated with psychosocial and biological risk factors (Salazar et al., 2015).
The total prevalence of major depressive disorder in the geriatric population ranges from 1.2 to 9.4%. When individuals with depressive symptoms do not meet the criteria for depression are also included the prevalence increases to 49% (Peña Solano, Herazo Dilson and Calvo Gómez). In Colombia, Bogotá has the highest prevalence of geriatric depression (53.2%), being more frequent among older adults living in urban areas (42.7%) than in rural areas (34.9%). The prevalence is higher among those with a higher level of education, such as undergraduate or graduate studies...