Attitudes of psychiatrists toward elderly patients.
A group of 179 psychiatrists responded to a questionnaire requesting their opinions concerning four clinical vignettes. Analysis of their responses indicated that these psychiatrists, at a highly statistically significant level, regarded older patients as less ideal for their practices than younger patients with identical symptoms. The respondents viewed the older patients as having a poorer prognosis, and their treatment plans for them were less likely to emphasize psychotherapy. In general, there was a negative correlation between the age of the respondent psychiatrists and their estimate of the "idealness" of and favorable prognosis for older patients.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D011570:Psychiatry; D011613:Psychotherapy; D014481:United States