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Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing
Published on: January 24, 2020
Ageism in first episode psychosis
Emma Mitford1, Robert Reay, Kate McCabe
1Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust, PACE Office, St George's Park, Morpeth, Northumberland, UK. emma.mitford@ntw.nhs.uk
International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
|December 24, 2009
Summary
Older adults represent a significant portion of first episode psychosis cases, experiencing longer hospital stays and service access gaps. This highlights a need for equitable mental health care for the elderly.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Psychiatry
- Psychosis Epidemiology
- Mental Health Services Research
Background:
- First episode psychosis (FEP) in older adults is understudied.
- Understanding the characteristics of FEP in individuals aged 65 and over is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize first episode psychosis in older adults (65+ years) compared to younger individuals.
- To identify disparities in service provision and outcomes for elderly patients with FEP.
Main Methods:
- Naturalistic study design comparing two age groups (65+ vs. <65) with FEP.
- Data collection included demographics, diagnosis, and first-year hospital admissions.
- Statistical analysis to compare outcomes between age groups.
Main Results:
- Nearly a quarter of FEP patients were aged 65 or older.
- Older patients had delayed admission but longer hospital stays (p < 0.01).
- Late-onset schizophrenia and very late onset schizophrenia-like psychosis were common in this group.
Conclusions:
- Older adults constitute a substantial FEP population with significant healthcare resource utilization.
- Significant service gaps exist for older adults, including limited access to Assertive Outreach, crisis teams, Clozapine, and CBT.
- Ageism contributes to disparities, necessitating improved and equitable care access for elderly patients with mental illness.
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