Cognitive function and depression among the oldest-old santals of jhargram, india: role of family support

The present study aimed to determine the association of socio-demographic and social support with sex-specific levels of depression and cognitive function among the oldest-old Santals, a scheduled tribe (ST) residing in the Jhargram district of West Bengal, India. One hundred study participants were randomly chosen from each sex for the present study. Data on socioeconomic status (SES) and demographic variables were collected by administering a pretested schedule. Data on social support, depression, and cognitive function were also collected using universally accepted questionnaires after translating the same in local language and obtaining written informed consent. Sexual dimorphism was found for many SES and other demographic variables. Moreover, significant sexual differences were not found for social support, depression, or cognitive function levels. Thus, the data was pooled for sex for inferential analyses. Furthermore, no reciprocal relationship between depression and cognitive function was observed. Adjusted multinomial logistic regression analyses revealed that social support was the most significant predictor (p < 0.01) for both depression and cognitive function level. Adequate social support from family members plays an imperative role in maintaining healthy psychosocial conditions among the oldest-old study population, which may be cited as an example for other communities.