Abstract
<jats:p>Depression is one of the most common problems among older adults and is caused by multiple social and cultural factors. The objective of this research is to determine the prevalence and severity of depression in older adults, for which the Yesavage Brief Depression Scale was used to detect the severity of depression. The research is descriptive with a qualitative approach and was conducted in two neighborhoods in the city of Campeche: El Carmelo and La Ermita, by administering surveys to 40 older adults in each neighborhood. The results show that 32 older adults in the La Ermita neighborhood suffer from depression, while in the El Carmelo neighborhood there were only 7, and the rest did not present depression. The median age in the La Ermita neighborhood is 65, and in El Carmelo it is 67 and 70, while the average age in the La Ermita neighborhood is 71.5 and in El Carmelo it is 70. It is concluded that in the La Ermita neighborhood there was a higher prevalence of depression in the older adult population than in the El Carmelo neighborhood. It is suggested that, in order to take care of their health, these older adults engage in recreational activities in clubs within their community or with their families.</jats:p>