Epidemiology of old age psychiatry: an overview of concepts and main studies

Epidemiology is the foundation of public health and rational planning of services. In the field of old age psychiatry, the information provided by epidemiological research has been highly influential. As the world older population is growing proportionally faster than the other age segments, there is a continuous need for further epidemiological research in old age psychiatry. Neuropsychiatric conditions, such as depression and dementia, cognitive impairment, behavioural and functional decline, place a considerable onus on the health, social and economic systems. This chapter presents some of the world demographic data and basic epidemiological concepts, discusses some methodological issues in the epidemiology of mental disorders in old age, and presents a summary of many of the most important studies in this field.

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Epidemiology of old age psychiatry

Oxford Textbook of Old Age Psychiatry ◽

10.1093/med/9780198807292.003.0004 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 45-76

Author(s):

Thais Minett ◽

Carol Brayne ◽

Blossom C.M Stephan

Keyword(s):

Old Age ◽

Demographic Data ◽

Functional Decline ◽

The Other ◽

Economic Systems ◽

Epidemiological Research ◽

Rational Planning ◽

The World ◽

Old Age Psychiatry ◽

Neuropsychiatric Conditions

Epidemiology is the foundation of public health and rational planning of services. In the field of old age psychiatry, the information provided by epidemiological research has been highly influential. As the world older population is growing proportionally faster than the other age segments, there is a continuous need for further epidemiological research in old age psychiatry. Neuropsychiatric conditions, such as depression and dementia, cognitive impairment, and behavioural and functional decline, place a considerable onus on the health, social, and economic systems. This chapter presents some of the world demographic data and basic epidemiological concepts, discusses some methodological issues in the epidemiology of mental disorders in old age, and presents a summary of many of the most important studies in this field.

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Teaching and training in old age psychiatry: a general survey of the World Psychiatric Association member societies

International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry ◽

10.1002/gps.900 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 18 (8) ◽

pp. 694-699 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Vincent Camus ◽

Cornelius Katona ◽

Carlos Augusto de Mendonça Lima ◽

Addul Moneim Abdel Hakam ◽

Nori Graham ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Old Age ◽

General Survey ◽

Association Member ◽

The World ◽

Old Age Psychiatry ◽

And Training

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OAP Actual Problems in European Countries

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/s0924-9338(09)70432-8 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 24 (S1) ◽

pp. 1-1 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

H. Firmino ◽

N. Tataru

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Old Age ◽

Health Problems ◽

Dementia Care ◽

World Population ◽

List Type ◽

Ethical Aspect ◽

The World ◽

Old Age Psychiatry ◽

And Training

Aging of the world population risks to be accompanied by an increase of chronic health problems, and most particularly of mental health problems. To face to these problems the organization of care and education in old age psychiatry is still quite insufficient worldwide. Like in all countries in this part of the world, the geriatric psychiatry is still not enough represented. Only in some countries in Europe old age psychiatry is a recognized specialty (18% of European region countries responded at a WPA survey of teaching and training in OAP). The number of professionals working in the field is still very low to satisfy the needs of care of elderly with mental disorders. There is inadequate training for formal caregivers and lack of support for informal ones. This is the reason to support the development of postgraduate education on old age psychiatry as a priority in Europe. We discuss about teaching and training in old age psychiatry, psychiatric and psychological expertise exams and the assessment of competence in dementia and ethical aspect of care and research in elderly demented people.We also present some aspects of elderly sexuality and abuse and about mental health from strategy to reality and dementia care in different Europe countries.Chairs: Horacio Firmino-Portugal, Nicoleta Tataru-Romania.Speakers:1.Alexandra Milicevic-Kalasic, Serbia: ‘Mental Health in Serbia-from Strategy to Reality’.2.Horacio Firmino, Portugal: ‘Education on Old Age Psychiatry at Europe: facts and proposals’.3.Ilkin Icelly, Turkey: ‘Elderly abuse in Turkey’.4.Jerzy Leszek, Poland: ‘Dementia care in Poland’.

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112 - Teaching and Training Old Age Psychiatry around the world

International Psychogeriatrics ◽

10.1017/s1041610220001908 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 32 (S1) ◽

pp. 26-26

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Older Adults ◽

Old Age ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Clinical Training ◽

Educational Strategies ◽

The World ◽

Old Age Psychiatry ◽

And Training

Summary:In response to the global challenges of population aging in the World, it is crucial to improve research, education and clinical training in old age in order to meet the growing demands placed on psychogeriatric care services.An overview is provided on the status of old age psychology and psychiatry, and other health professionals, as part of the multidisciplinary care delivery system for the elderly in the World. Available educational offerings and clinical training in geriatric mental health and geriatrics at both undergraduate and postgraduate level are described.Important issues raised include the need for more educational and clinical training programs for specialists, a broader commitment to aging research and the need to increase interest in working with older adults among students across disciplines at the medical, psychological and education faculties and hospitals.This educational initiative must focus not only on the transmission of knowledge on aging-related topics, but also on the training of specific skills and competencies.An effective intervention in psychogeriatrics should involve a strategy with the participation of a multidimensional network that includes the commitment of researchers, educators, clinicians, health policy-makers and older adults.Several recommendations to improve educational strategies concerning late life mental health care are presented to promote discussion, and develop new educational strategies.Presenters:Horácio Firmino – Advances at educational at the curriculum of the new Psychiatrists and other mental health professionals at PortugalCarlos A. de Mendonça Lima- The WPA survey on Teaching and Training in Old Age Psychiatry: 2001-2018Manuel Sanchez Perez – Mental Health Educational Reality at SpainManuel Teixeira Verissimo – Geriatrics New or Old discipline- educational perspectives of Europe and the reality of Portugal

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Organization of old age psychiatry services

Reviews in Clinical Gerontology ◽

10.1017/s095925989800834x ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 217-225 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Sube Banerjee

Keyword(s):

Old Age ◽

The World ◽

Old Age Psychiatry

In the last review on this topic for this journal the focus was mainly upon service principles and an overview of variation in provision around the world. While there have been important developments and challenges within old age psychiatry in the last five years, these fundamental principles remain valid. This paper will therefore not simply present an updated version of the last but will instead concentrate on specific issues which seem to be of particular salience in the consideration of the organization and delivery of old age psychiatry services.

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Alcohol and prescribed psychotropic drug use among patients admitted to a department of old-age psychiatry in Norway

Nordic Studies on Alcohol and Drugs ◽

10.1177/1455072516682642 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 34 (1) ◽

pp. 57-71 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Aud Johannesen ◽

Knut Engedal ◽

Marianne Larsen ◽

Elin Lillehovde ◽

Line Tegner Stelander ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alcohol Use ◽

Drug Use ◽

Old Age ◽

Psychotropic Drug ◽

Psychotropic Drugs ◽

Demographic Data ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Psychotropic Drug Use ◽

Identification Test ◽

Old Age Psychiatry

Background: Although alcohol and prescribed psychotropic drug use has increased among older people, the usefulness of information provided about these substances in patients’ referrals to departments of old-age psychiatry (OAPsy) is unknown. Aims: To examine whether patients’ self-reported elevated use of alcohol and prescribed psychotropic drugs corresponds with information provided in the referrals to OAPsy departments and to explore the factors associated with elevated self-reported use of these substances. Methods: We recorded the information provided in referrals about the elevated use of alcohol and psychotropic drugs in a sample of 206 patients (69 men) from 12 OAPsy departments. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT) helped to assess self-reported use. We also collected demographic data, as well as information about cognitive functioning and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Results: Seventy-three patients (35%) scored above the cut-off for alcohol use for women/men (AUDIT ≥ 3/4) or psychotropic drugs (DUDIT ≥ 6/8), if not both. Twenty patients (10%) reported an elevated use of both alcohol and psychotropic drugs, and the referrals for eight (40%) and ten (50%) of them, respectively, included information about this use. There was a significant association between self-reported use of alcohol above the cut-off and information about elevated use in the referrals. However, no such association was found between information in the referrals and self-reported use of prescribed psychotropic drugs. Elevated alcohol use was associated with more years of education, while elevated use of psychotropic drugs was associated with younger age and severe symptoms of anxiety and depression. Conclusion: The information reported in referrals about the elevated use of alcohol and psychotropic drugs demonstrated a trend in associations with self-reported use. However, the risk factors for elevated use of alcohol and psychotropic drugs in the elderly need to be examined further.

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Domiciliary phlebotomy for elderly people with mental illness

Psychiatric Bulletin ◽

10.1192/pb.28.4.120 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 28 (4) ◽

pp. 120-122

Author(s):

Malcolm Darley ◽

Catherine Siller ◽

David Anderson

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Old Age ◽

Subgroup Analysis ◽

Demographic Data ◽

Clinical Implications ◽

People With Mental Illness ◽

Ambulance Transport ◽

Old Age Psychiatry ◽

The Cost ◽

Viable Method

Aims and MethodThis paper reports the evaluation of a pilot domiciliary phlebotomy service provided by an old age psychiatry service to enhance the management of patients in their own homes. Clinical and demographic data were collected and the costs of phlebotomy home visits compared with those of ambulance transport.ResultsOf 511 phlebotomy visits made to 307 patients, only 8% were unsuccessful. A subgroup analysis indicated that 70% of patients would have been unable to leave home unaccompanied to attend for venepuncture. The cost of the phlebotomist's travel was comparable with the estimated cost of providing ambulance transport for patients who would have required it.Clinical ImplicationsDomiciliary phlebotomy can be a viable method of performing blood investigations in an old age psychiatry service to support home assessment.

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