Psychiatric disorders in elderly Nigerians.

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Psychiatry
• Neuroscience
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Late-life psychiatric disorders present unique challenges in diverse populations.
• Understanding the epidemiology of these conditions in low-resource settings is crucial.
• Previous research has primarily focused on industrialized nations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prospectively investigate the characteristics of psychiatric disorders in elderly patients (≥60 years) in a Nigerian psychiatric unit.
• To identify the most prevalent diagnoses and demographic patterns in this population.
• To compare findings with existing literature from developed countries and consider etiological factors, management, and outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study of 51 patients aged 60 years and over over a 4-year period.
• Data collection included patient demographics, diagnoses, and clinical presentation.
• Comparison of findings with previous international studies on late-life psychosis.

Main Results:

• Elderly patients constituted 5% of new cases at the psychiatric unit.
• A significant excess of female patients was observed.
• Functional psychoses were the most common diagnoses, with late paraphrenia being the most frequent subtype.
• The majority of late paraphrenia cases were diagnosed as schizophrenia.

Conclusions:

• Late-life functional psychoses, especially schizophrenia presenting as late paraphrenia, are significant in the Nigerian elderly population.
• The observed female predominance warrants further investigation into potential etiological and sociocultural factors.
• Findings highlight the need for context-specific research and management strategies for geriatric mental health in Africa.