Mental disorders among the community-dwelling elderly in Dublin.
BACKGROUND
The prevalence of mental disorders among the community-dwelling elderly in the catchment area of a psychiatry for the elderly service in Dublin was determined.


METHODS
A sample of 1232 individuals aged 65 years and over, identified from general practitioner practice lists, was interviewed using the Geriatric Mental State-AGECAT package.


RESULTS
Depression and organic disorder occurred with prevalences of 10.3 and 4.1%, respectively. Depression diagnostic cases had comorbid anxiety at case level in 17.3% and at sub-case level in a further 59.9%. Organic diagnostic cases had comorbid depressive or anxiety symptoms, at case or sub-case level, in 32%.


CONCLUSIONS
Depression is the most common mental disorder among the elderly in Dublin. The frequency of anxiety symptoms in the presentation of depression may be a factor in the under-diagnosis or misdiagnosis of depression in the community-dwelling elderly. Comorbid anxiety and depression in organic disorder may represent treatable symptoms.
Kirby
M
M
Department of Psychiatry for the Elderly, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
Bruce
I
I
Radic
A
A
Coakley
D
D
Lawlor
B A
BA
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002391:Catchment Area, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors