• Psychiatrische Praxis · May 2000

    [Prevalence of psychiatric disorders in elderly inpatients of medical and surgical departments].

    • J Wancata, U Meise, and G Sachs.
    • Klinische Abteilung für Sozialpsychiatrie und Evaluationsforschung, Osterreich.
    • Psychiatr Prax. 2000 May 1; 27 (4): 170-5.

    ObjectiveThe aim of the present survey was to study the psychiatric prevalence among elderly patients of medical and surgical wards in Austria.Methods244 inpatients, 60 years and above, were investigated by research psychiatrists using the Clinical Interview Schedule.ResultsThe prevalence was found to be 38.7% in medical departments, and 33.0% in surgical departments. According to DSM-III-R criteria, dementia (20.9%) and minor depression (7.0%) were the most frequent psychiatric categories, followed by substance abuse disorders (4.5%). Among those suffering from psychiatric disorders, 68.5% received psychotropics. Only a quarter of these drugs were prescribed by consulting psychiatrists, while about three quarters were ordered by ward physicians.ConclusionsThese facts underline the importance of an intensive cooperation between specialists for somatic medicine and psychiatrists.

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