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Phobic disorders in the elderly.

J Lindesay1

  • 1UMDS, London.

The British Journal of Psychiatry : the Journal of Mental Science
|October 1, 1991
PubMed
Summary

Elderly individuals with phobic disorders experience more neurotic symptoms and a history of psychiatric issues. Agoraphobia in old age often stems from trauma and causes significant social impairment.

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Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Psychiatry
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Phobic disorders are prevalent in the elderly population.
  • Understanding the specific characteristics and risk factors of phobic disorders in older adults is crucial for targeted interventions.
  • Previous research has not fully elucidated the nuances of phobic disorders in this demographic.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare elderly individuals with phobic disorders to matched controls.
  • To identify specific symptoms, onset patterns, and associated factors in elderly phobic disorder cases.
  • To investigate the relationship between phobic disorders and other life experiences in the elderly.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study involving 60 confirmed phobic disorder cases and 60 matched controls from an urban elderly community.
  • Data collection included symptom reporting, diagnostic classification (CATEGO), psychiatric history, fear onset, social impairment, and life events.
  • Comparison of socio-economic status, social relationships, parental loss, and healthcare contact between cases and controls.

Main Results:

  • Cases exhibited higher rates of neurotic symptoms and a history of chronic psychiatric disorders.
  • Agoraphobic fears in late-onset cases were linked to moderate-to-severe social impairment, often triggered by physical illness or trauma.
  • Specific phobias showed early onset and minimal social impairment.
  • Increased non-anxiety-related physical symptoms (palpitations, dyspnoea, giddiness, tinnitus) were noted in cases.
  • Parental loss before age 18 was more common in cases, despite similar socio-economic status and social relationships.

Conclusions:

  • Phobic disorders in the elderly are associated with distinct symptom profiles, onset patterns, and psychosocial factors.
  • Late-onset agoraphobia in the elderly warrants attention due to its significant social impact.
  • Early identification and intervention strategies should consider the unique etiological and symptomatic characteristics observed in this population.

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