Impact of Religiosity on Depression among Elderly People of Punjab, Pakistan

Fatima  Khurram Bukhari; Zarina  Mat Saad; Yahaya Mahamood

Authors

Fatima Khurram Bukhari Department of Applied Psychology, Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
Zarina Mat Saad School of Applied Psychology, Social Work and Policy, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok, Kedah Darul Aman, Malaysia
Yahaya Mahamood School of Applied Psychology, Social Work and Policy, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok, Kedah Darul Aman, Malaysia

Keywords:

Religiosity, geriatric depression, Pakistan, older people

Abstract

The present study focused on the role of religiosity and depression on the life of older people. At a theoretical level the relationship between religiosity and different dimensions of mental health is frequently discussed, but empirically, it is not discovered thoroughly. The purpose of the current research was to study the association between religiosity and depression among elderly people. A total of 800 (400 males, 400 females) old people of age ranges from 50-70 of Punjab (one of the biggest state of Pakistan) completed measures of geriatric depression scale and religiosity scale. Among older people it was cleared with the results that religiosity has a positive impact on the depression scores of old people. As the religiosity increases depression decreases. Binary logistic regression showed that there is a negative correlation between the scores of depression and religiosity. As the religiosity increases, then the level of depression among older people decreases.