Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
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An extensive analysis of prevalence rates of cognitive impairment and other mental morbidities was carried out as part of a five-site national study on the health and mental health of an ambulatory population. This study reports on prevalence rates contrasted by age across the 18 and over population for cognitive impairment and other diagnoses in the Baltimore, Maryland, site of this study. Differences in prevalence rates by age are striking. ⋯ These are: phobic disorders (10.1 per cent), severe cognitive impairment (9.3 per cent), major depression (1.3 per cent), and dysthymia (1.1 per cent). Rates of cognitive impairment increase markedly with age and high rates of this disorder were found among those never married, separated, divorced, or widowed. Implications of these findings for understanding mental morbidity among the elderly and issues for future planning are discussed.
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"I don't know" responses were recorded during administration of the Mini-Mental State Examination in elderly patients with primary degenerative dementia and primary major depression. More "I don't know" responses were given by patients with degenerative dementia; however, demented patients did not differ overall from depressives in the proportion of Not Correct responses consisting of "I don't know" responses. These responses were positively correlated with age and with Hollingshead education and social class scores in depressives but not in demented patients. A higher proportion of Not Correct responses consisting of "I don't know" responses needs to be demonstrated in depressive pseudomentia than in degenerative dementia if this clinical sign is to be used in helping to differentiate the two disorders.