Delirium awareness day: a portuguese perspective

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Psychiatry
• Public Health

Background:

• Delirium is a common syndrome of impaired awareness and inattention in hospitalized older adults.
• Prevalence in geriatric wards is high (24.7%), with significant underdiagnosis (24.1%) linked to diagnostic knowledge gaps.
• Liaison Psychiatry Services, like the one at Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, manage delirium in general hospitals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the issue of undiagnosed delirium in inpatient settings.
• To emphasize the importance of International Delirium Awareness Day for promoting preventive strategies.
• To advocate for systematic data collection and multidisciplinary interventions in delirium prevention within the Portuguese National Health System.

Main Methods:

• Review of delirium prevalence and diagnostic challenges in inpatient settings.
• Discussion of the role of Liaison Psychiatry Services in managing delirium.
• Emphasis on the need for multidisciplinary teams trained in delirium prevention.

Main Results:

• Delirium is frequently undiagnosed, impacting patient outcomes and increasing healthcare costs.
• Inadequate knowledge of diagnostic criteria and screening tools contributes to underdiagnosis.
• A well-trained, multidisciplinary team is essential for effective delirium prevention and management.

Conclusions:

• There is a critical need for improved delirium detection and management in hospitals.
• Multicomponent interventions delivered by trained multidisciplinary teams are essential for routine delirium prevention.
• Systematic epidemiological data collection is necessary to inform national health strategies for delirium.