This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the prevalence of depression among rural women in Bangladesh and to identify associated socio-economic and demographic factors. The study was carried out from October to November 2023 in Puthia Upazila and included 318 rural women aged 18–49 years. Pregnant and post-menopausal women were excluded to ensure population homogeneity. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire incorporating the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), a validated screening tool for depression.

Socio-demographic information such as age, education, income, and number of children was recorded. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to estimate prevalence, chi-square tests to examine associations, and binary logistic regression to identify 

independent predictors of depression.The findings revealed that 17.3% (n = 55) of the respondents were experiencing depression. 

Depression prevalence increased significantly with age, reaching 34.1% among women aged 46–49 years. Illiteracy was strongly associated with depression, with nearly half (47.8%) of illiterate women affected. Higher depression rates were also observed among women with low household income (29.6%) and those having three or more children (33.3%). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that women aged 36–45 years were significantly more likely to be depressed, while primary education and having no children showed a protective effect against depression.

The study highlights a substantial burden of depression among rural Bangladeshi women, driven by socio-economic vulnerability, educational disadvantage, and family-related factors. These findings underscore the importance of targeted, community-based mental health interventions and policy measures focusing on education, economic empowerment, and reproductive health support to improve mental well-being in this high-risk population.

Farhana Yasmin is an academic professional in Community Medicine and Public Health with over nine years of experience in medical education, academic leadership, and institutional development in Bangladesh. She began her academic career on 20 July 2015 as a Lecturer in the Department of Community Medicine, where she developed strong expertise in undergraduate teaching, curriculum delivery, and community-based medical education. She subsequently served as Assistant Professor (Current Charge) and Head of the Department of Community Medicine at Naogaon Medical College from July 2020 to October 2021, followed by her appointment at Rajshahi Medical College, where she also led the department as Head between January 2023 and May 2024. Since November 2024, She has been affiliated with Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College, Bogura, where she continues to serve as Assistant Professor (Current Charge) in the Department of Community Medicine & Public Health and previously held the position of Head of the Department. She holds an MBBS degree from Rajshahi Medical College and an MPH in Community Medicine from Bangladesh Medical University. Her academic interests include public health education, health policy, epidemiology, and the integration of data-driven approaches into medical teaching and institutional governance