Chapter 2 - Epidemiology of selected mental disorders in later life

Abstract

Mental health and substance use disorders have traditionally held a lower priority than communicable and noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. As global health began to shift from a focus on mortality alone to morbidity and associated burden in the 1990s, efforts to document and improve mental health became increasingly important. Mental health and substance use disorders comprise a substantial component of burden and disability. The chronicity of these disorders is particularly notable. This chapter presents the epidemiology of selected mental disorders in later life, which typically refers to ages 65 years and older. The focus is on both the prevalence of the most common mental disorders as well as a review of the evidence for associated risk factors for these conditions. We survey the epidemiology of disorders we deem most relevant to aging and mental health, with particular emphasis on depressive and neurocognitive disorders, given the prevalence and associated adverse outcomes in this age group.