title: The natural history of mental disorder in old age. A long-term study.
abstract: In a prospective study, 153 consecutive new referrals to a psychogeriatrician in Oxfordshire in 1973 were followed up for 15 years. The percentage of the over-65 population at risk was 0.27 and, of those aged over 80, 0.6. Alzheimer's dementia and depressive illness comprised over two-thirds of referrals. A quarter became permanent admissions, half of them with Alzheimer's dementia, 19% of whom were alive five years later. Depressive illness, at ten years, had a mortality 1.2-1.6 times that of the population at risk. The distinction between Alzheimer's dementia and depressive illness, based on their natural history and causes of death, was reinforced.
authors.affiliation: Littlemore Hospital, Oxford.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Robinson
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D002423:Cause of Death; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000523:psychology; D004739:England; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000639:trends*; D015996:Survival Rate