Comment on “Prevalence and associated risk factors of anxiety and depression among elderly attending urban family care centers in Vellore India: A cross-sectional study”

Dear Editors, We read with great interest the article by Joseph EM, et al.[1] By 2050, approximately one in every two people over the age of 60 will be living in urban areas.[2] With changes in the social-ecological model and the rapid urbanization process, the elderly are exposed to environmental pressures such as air pollution and noise for a long time.[3] At the same time, the proportion of elderly people living alone is increasing, and their access to green spaces is limited, which makes the elderly face more and more challenges in the urban environment. The above factors seriously affect their quality of life (QOL) and consume a large amount of medical care expenses. What is even more worrying is that mental and psychological problems have become a serious global public health problem, including for the elderly.[4] This study investigated the prevalence of anxiety and depression and assessed the risk factors in the elderly population attending urban family care centers. The conclusion indicated that the prevalence of anxiety and depression among the elderly was relatively high. Being female, having a lower level of education, and lacking emotional and social/environmental support might be high-risk factors for developing mental and psychological problems. This research has a novel design, reliable conclusions, and good clinical guidance, which can provide data support for the formulation of targeted medical and health policies for urban elderly populations. We congratulate the authors on their success and would like to highlight the following concerns. Firstly, the subjects of this survey are the elderly. The use of the scales may more easily lead to recall bias and reporting bias. Meanwhile, this study mainly investigated the prevalence of anxiety and depression among the elderly. In the future, relevant surveys on aspects such as sleep quality, nutritional status, other types of physical and mental illnesses, organic diseases, and the overall QOL should be conducted to better evaluate the overall health status of the elderly. Secondly, this survey was conducted in two urban family care centers in India, and the sample may not represent the entire elderly population, which limits the wide generalization of the research conclusions. In addition, a cross-sectional study can only investigate the health status and exposure of respondents at a certain moment, and cannot understand how these factors change over time and their long-term impact on health. Therefore, it is recommended to extend the follow-up time for these elderly people to dynamically observe and assess their health conditions. Thirdly, one of the purposes of a cross-sectional study is to formulate targeted prevention and control strategies. According to the research conclusions, it is necessary to coordinate the construction of the elderly health service system, establish and improve the elderly health service mechanism, and strengthen the construction of the elderly health service medical and nursing team. Continuous and systematic services should be provided such as disease prevention, individualized treatments, and rehabilitation care for the elderly to improve their health level and promote the realization of healthy aging. Financial support and sponsorship Special Fund for High-level Talents in the Medical and Health Industry in Jinan (202412). Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.