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P-1019 - Mental Health in Late-life. Data From an Italian Population-based Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 April 2020

A.R. Atti
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, Bologna University, Bologna, Italy
M. Morri
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, Bologna University, Bologna, Italy
M. Forlani
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, Bologna University, Bologna, Italy
C. Forlani
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, Bologna University, Bologna, Italy
V. Caretto
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, Bologna University, Bologna, Italy
E. Dalmonte
Affiliation:
AUSL Faenza, Ravenna, Italy
D. De Ronchi
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, Bologna University, Bologna, Italy

Abstract

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Background

Technological and medical progresses stimulated a worldwide demographic transition with a high socio-economic impact. The Mental Health in Older People Consensus suggests that elderly mental health deserve attention from a research and a public health perspective.

Aims

To investigate mental disorders in a population-based sample of persons aged 75+ living in Faenza (Northern Italy).

Methods

The Cambridge Mental Disorders of the Elderly Examination (CAMDEX) (Roth, 1986) was administered to 462 elderly (or/and their proxies/informants). Cognitive functions were tested using CAMDEX-Cognitive section (CAMCOG) and dementia diagnoses were achieved according to DSM-IV criteria. Among cognitively intact individuals, depression was diagnosed based on DSM-IV and ICD-10 criteria. Presence of general anxiety disorder was evaluated using the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory Short Form (GAI-sf) (Byrne, 2011).

Results

Dementia prevalence was 19.1% (95% Confidence Intervals: 16–23%). Even if only eight (2.2%) participants were affected by a major depressive episode (DSM-IV criteria), one out of four participants was clinically diagnosed as being depressed when ICD-10 criteria were applied: mildmoderate- and severe-depression prevalence was 16.4% (95%CI: 12.6–20.2%); 7.5% (95%CI: 4.8–10.2%); 1.1 (95%CI: 0.04–2.2%) respectively. Furthermore 20 (5.4%) participants complained sub-threshold depressive symptoms. Three persons had psychotics’ symptoms (two were depressed). Fifty-one participants (11.0%) felt that living was not worthy (95%CI: 8.0–14.0%) and 29 (7.0%) had suicidal thoughts (95%CI: 4.0–8.0%). Anxiety affected the 18.6% of the sample (95%CI: 14.0–22.0%). Depression and anxiety co-occurred in 36 persons (10.2% of the total population).

Conclusions

At least one mental disorder is diagnosable in one out of two community-dwelling elderly.

Type
Abstract
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2012
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