Premium
Features of elderly patients admitted to a general hospital psychiatric unit
Author(s) -
FURUKAWA Yoshiko,
ODAWARA Toshinari,
YAMADA Yasuhiro,
FUJITA Jyunichi,
HIRAYASU Yoshio
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
psychogeriatrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.647
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 1479-8301
pISSN - 1346-3500
DOI - 10.1111/j.1479-8301.2006.00147.x
Subject(s) - seclusion , medicine , delirium , mood , dementia , psychiatry , organic mental disorders , pediatrics , disease
Abstract Background: Improved management of elderly psychiatric patients requires further identification of their special needs and problems. Methods: We analyzed the characteristics of 1333 consecutive patients admitted to the Psychiatric Center of Yokohama City University Medical Center, a general hospital psychiatric unit, from January 2000 to December 2003. Patients 65 years old or older (the elderly group) accounted for 12.3% of all patients. Results: The duration of admission in elderly patients was significantly longer than in younger patients (less than 65 years old). Admission history and admission type were significantly different between these two groups. Prevalence of dementia or delirium as a primary or secondary diagnosis was significantly greater in the elderly group. About three‐quarters of elderly patients were diagnosed as having a mood disorder (47.6%), or an organic mental disorder (31.1%). A significantly smaller fraction of patients were placed in seclusion in the elderly group than in the younger group, although the fraction of patients who were restrained did not differ between the two groups. A significantly higher fraction of elderly patients was transferred to general medical or surgical wards in the hospital to continue treatment for physical illness. In the elderly group, physical and mental prognoses were poorest in patients with organic mental disorders. Conclusions: Compared with the younger patients, the elderly psychiatric patients showed peculiar features. They were thought to require the treatments that were adapted to meet their needs.