Psychological functioning and psychiatric morbidity in an elderly urban population in Greece

As part of a systematic epidemiological survey of mental disorders in two Athenian boroughs, a probability sample of 251 elderly community residents was examined by a psychiatrist. For the assessment of their mental health, symptom screening scales were used (Langner and CES-D). Cognitive functioning was also evaluated. An overall psychological functioning profile was composed from previously derived mental health levels. Clinical diagnostic examination was based on a semi-structured schedule (PEF) supplemented by DSM-III criteria. A higher proportion of females than males were characterised as psychologically impaired, reporting non-specific symptoms of distress. Older respondents of lower socioeconomic status experiencing stressful life events, such as living alone or having been exposed to migration in the past, exhibited a significant degree of psychopathology. Of the sample, 20.3% was diagnosed as suffering from a specific psychiatric illness. The prevalence of organic mental disorders was 5.6% and affective disorders of any type constituted nearly half of the diagnosed psychiatric "cases". The implications of this survey are of great importance for the design and the development of preventive strategies and community-based interventions.