Abstract

The co-existence of physical and psychiatric illness in so much of the elderly population poses diagnostic and therapeutic problems for psychiatrists, geriatricians and general practitioners alike, with the presence of physical illness strongly influencing and sometimes limiting the options for treatment of the psychiatric illness. Recognition of this has resulted in the Section of Old Age Psychiatry of the Royal College of Psychiatrists recommending that senior registrar training in old age psychiatry should include a one month attachment to an approved geriatric medicine unit.

Highlights

  • This study demonstrates high levels of physical illness in elderly depressive patients both in hospital and in the community and reinforces the importance of this higher training requirement. refAerrraeltsros(1p0ec0t)ivfeora'nddepcroensstiinouni'ngtoparocpessyschaougdeitriaotfriacll service for some 18,000 elderly subjects was under taken over 30 months

  • Each patient was classified into one of three categories for depression according to DSM-III-R and significant physical illness and all medication recorded

  • The sample consisted of 31 males and 69 females

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Summary

The study

This study demonstrates high levels of physical illness in elderly depressive patients both in hospital and in the community and reinforces the importance of this higher training requirement. refAerrraeltsros(1p0ec0t)ivfeora'nddepcroensstiinouni'ngtoparocpessyschaougdeitriaotfriacll service for some 18,000 elderly subjects was under taken over 30 months. This study demonstrates high levels of physical illness in elderly depressive patients both in hospital and in the community and reinforces the importance of this higher training requirement. RefAerrraeltsros(1p0ec0t)ivfeora'nddepcroensstiinouni'ngtoparocpessyschaougdeitriaotfriacll service for some 18,000 elderly subjects was under taken over 30 months. Each patient was classified into one of three categories for depression according to DSM-III-R and significant physical illness and all medication recorded. HypertrophyRespiratoryDeafnessVisual impairment(including glaucoma)Multiple illness3236328995623864178622252514176412298831129840204813135ISN/A3151366 no significant difference in disease pattern between males and females or between diagnostic groups. Cardiovascular illness was prominent in both sexes and multiple pathology was common, with 64% of the males and 66% of the females so affected

Findings
Cerebrovascular disease
Prostatic hypertrophy
Multiple illness
Full Text
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