Characteristics of requests for psychiatric consultation-liaison in elderly hospitalized in a university hospital in southern of Brazil

Abstract

The consultation-liaison (C-L) psychiatry represents a healthcare modality that gives upon the request of other healthcare professionals providing comprehensive care to all aspects involved in being sick and hospitalized. The aim of this study was to characterize the C-L psychiatry calls in elderly hospitalized at Hospital Sao Lucas da PUCRS (HSL-PUCRS) in the years 2012 and 2013. It is observational, descriptive, retrospective and cross sectional. The study population consisted of all the elderly (60 or older) admitted to the HSL-PUCRS treated in psychiatric C-L regimen. Data were collected from the consultation registration protocols filled by residents of that hospital upon the request of care. During the study period, 167 patients that were referred to C-L psychiatry team were enrolled. Most attended by the Sistema Unico de Saude (SUS), female, married and uneducated. Depressive, psychotic and anxiety symptoms were the main reasons for referral to consultation (68.9%). The most prevalent psychiatric diagnosis was mood disorder (51.3%). Pharmacotherapy was the conduct used by C-L consultant in 81.4% of the elderly and antidepressants and antipsychotics were the most appropriate medications. From the characterization of the profile of the elderly attended by the consultation in general hospitals is expected to contribute to the medical practices of various specialties involved in the hospital, as well as provide subsidies for the improvement of C-L psychiatry.