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Psychotic symptoms in the elderly: a prospective study in a population sample
A S Henderson1, A E Korten, C Levings
1NHMRC Psychiatric Epidemiology Research Centre, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
|August 8, 1998
Summary
Psychotic symptoms in older adults are linked to cognitive decline and social factors. Most individuals with symptoms at baseline did not have them years later.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Psychiatry
- Epidemiology of Mental Disorders
- Community Mental Health
Background:
- Limited understanding of psychotic symptoms in older adults, primarily from hospital-based studies of severe disorders.
- Need for community-based research to capture a broader spectrum of symptoms and risk factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors of psychotic symptoms in a community-dwelling elderly population.
- To examine the persistence and change of psychotic symptoms over time in older adults.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal, community-based survey of older persons.
- Assessment of psychotic symptoms on two occasions, 3-4 years apart.
Main Results:
- Point prevalence of psychotic symptoms was 5.7%.
- Identified risk factors included cognitive impairment, living alone, male gender, limited education, social isolation, poor health, and depressive symptoms.
- Low persistence of symptoms; only 6 of 65 initially symptomatic individuals remained symptomatic after 3-4 years. Incidence was 6.0% over 3.6 years.
Conclusions:
- Age-related cognitive impairment, interacting with environmental and psychosocial variables, are key risk factors for psychotic symptoms in later life.
- Psychotic symptoms in older adults are often transient, suggesting potential for intervention and recovery.