Prevalence and correlates of somatoform disorders in the elderly: Results of a European study.
Somatoform disorders have rarely been addressed in epidemiological and health care services studies of the elderly. The few existing studies vary considerably in their methodologies limiting comparability of findings. Data come from the MentDis_ICF65+ study, in which a total of 3142 community-dwelling respondents aged 65-84 years from six different countries were assessed by the Composite International Diagnostic Interview adapted to the needs of the elderly (CIDI65+). The 12-month prevalence rate for any somatoform disorders was found to be 3.8, whereby the prevalence for somatization disorder according to DSM-IV was 0%, the prevalence for abridged somatization was 1.7% and the rate for 12-months somatoform pain disorder was 2.6%. We found a significant variation by study centre (p < 0.005). There was a significant gender difference for pain disorder, but not for abridged somatization. Significant age-related effects revealed for both disorder groups. Somatoform disorders were found to be associated with other mental disorders [odds ratio (OR) anxiety =4.8, OR affective disorders 3.6], as well as with several impairments and disabilities. Somatoform disorders are prevalent, highly impairing conditions in older adults, which are often associated with other mental disorders and should receive more research and clinical attention.
Department of Medical Psychology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Maria Christina
MC
Dehoust
Department of Medical Psychology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Holger
H
Schulz
Department of Medical Psychology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Martin
M
Härter
Department of Medical Psychology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Jana
J
Volkert
Department of Medical Biometry and Epidemiology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Susanne
S
Sehner
Department of Medical Biometry and Epidemiology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Anna
A
Drabik
Department of Medical Biometry and Epidemiology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Karl
K
Wegscheider
Division of Liaison Psychiatry and Crisis Intervention, University Hospitals of Geneva and Faculty of Medicine of the University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Alessandra
A
Canuto
Division of Liaison Psychiatry and Crisis Intervention, University Hospitals of Geneva and Faculty of Medicine of the University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Kerstin
K
Weber
Royal College of Psychiatrists, College Centre for Quality Improvement, London, UK.
Mike
M
Crawford
Royal College of Psychiatrists, College Centre for Quality Improvement, London, UK.
Alan
A
Quirk
Section of Psychiatry, Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
Luigi
L
Grassi
Section of Psychiatry, Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
Chiara
C
DaRonch
School of Psychology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Manuel
M
Munoz
School of Psychology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Berta
B
Ausin
School of Psychology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Anna
A
Santos-Olmo
Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah University Medical Centre, Jerusalem, Israel.
Arieh
A
Shalev
Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah University Medical Centre, Jerusalem, Israel.
Ora
O
Rotenstein
Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah University Medical Centre, Jerusalem, Israel.
Yael
Y
Hershkowitz
Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Jens
J
Strehle
Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Hans-Ulrich
HU
Wittchen
Department of Medical Psychology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.|Institute for Psychology, Alpen-Adria Universität Klagenfurt, Klagenfurt am Wörthersee, Austria.
Sylke
S
Andreas
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*
elderly; epidemiology; somatoform disorders