Problems in the diagnosis and classification of mental disorder in old age; with a study of case material.

Abstract

Recent statistics of old age mental disorder have drawn an alarming picture of rising rates of admission to mental hospitals in many parts of the world. One of the predictions made on the basis of such statistics has been that old age psychoses might, in due course, relegate schizophrenia to second place in number of admissions. There are, however, dangers in drawing conclusions about a complicated problem, such as mental disorder in old age, on statistical grounds alone. Before the figures can be properly evaluated more detailed information about the social, economic and, above all, clinical aspects of the problem will be required than is available at present.