[Psychogeriatric unit within a General Hospital. Descriptive analysis of outpatient assessment, diagnosis and...

To assess the frequency of some epidemiological variables in 200 patients over 65 years old that came to admission as outpatients in the psychogeriatric area in the psychiatric unit at the Hospital Italiano in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

A specific questionnaire was completed by both patient (or relative) and the physician.

83% were female and 17% male. The most important diagnosis were depressive disorder (34%), adaptive upheavals (28%) and dementia (16%), within this group, major depressive disorder and Alzheimer dementia. Only a 31% patients went under a neuropsychological assessment psychotherapy was indicated to 18% of the patients, pharmacology for 39%, memory improvement group for 18% and combined treatment for 25%.

This paper brings data regarding outpatients over 65 years old with psychogeriatric treatment. This may improve the health system in psychogeriatric area taking into account socio-cultural and economic factors.