Objective:

To evaluate the state of mental health, depression mood index and the quality of life (QOL) of the elderly.

Methodology:

A quantitative cross-sectional study was carried out with 122 people over 60 years old attended by primary care. Data were collected with QOL (WHOQOL-OLD/ WHOQOL-BREE), and Geriatric Depression Scale inventories with socio-demographic and clinical questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used in data analysis.

Results:

Most are considered healthy, although 40,2 % present health problems; 55,6 % use anxiolytics and antidepressants; 61,5 % presented depression, statistically associated with belonging to the female sex, widowhood/single/divorced status, living alone and not practicing leisure and community activities. Depression was inversely associated with marital status, living with other people and practicing physical activity and leisure. There was a strong association between increased intensity of depressive symptoms and decreased QOL in all domains. Satisfaction with their QOL was moderate, with a higher score in 'social relations' and lower in the 'physical' domain. In the WHOQOL-OLD, higher mean scores were identified in the 'intimacy' and 'social participation' domains and lower score in the 'death and dying' domain.

Conclusion:

The perception of better QOL is associated with age, marital status, self-perception of 'being healthy' and absence of depression. Tobacco use is associated with poorer QOL in all domains. The relation between alcohol consumption and better evaluation in the 'death and dying' domain needs to be clarified.

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