Prevalencia y factores asociados a la depresión, funcionalidad familiar y deterioro cognitivo en los adultos mayores de Cuenca

Abstract

Global population aging presents significant health challenges, such as depression, cognitive decline, and family dysfunction, affecting quality of life and the sustainability of care systems. This study in Cuenca evaluated 311 older adults using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), the family APGAR scale, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies (CES) Depression Scale. The results showed high performance in orientation (97%) and attention (94%), with lower performance in calculation (more than 50%) and delayed recall (63%), so it is concluded that it is essential to develop policies and programs for the early identification of mental health problems, support families, and guarantee equitable access to services, thus improving the quality of life of older adults in Cuenca.