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Age As a Factor in the Referral and Treatment of Psychiatric Patients by Internists *
Author(s) -
GARETZ FLOYD K.,
GARETZ DIANE
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1973.tb00857.x
Subject(s) - medicine , referral , subspecialty , psychiatry , geriatrics , family medicine , pediatrics
Questionnaires were completed by 153 internists concerning their referral and treatment of out‐patients showing psychologic disturbances. Internists reported that equal numbers of their younger and older patients had psychologic disturbances; in the light of other data, this suggests that such disorders are being overlooked in some older patients. The internists also indicated that they referred equal numbers of older patients and younger patients to psychiatric facilities. Some internists treated psychologic disturbances in younger and older patients to the same degree, whereas cardiologists tended to treat more of the older group, and nephrologists tended to treat more of the younger group. The age of the physician is an important factor in his practice. Older physicians saw more older than younger patients in their practice. Older internists with certain subspecialty interests perceived psychologic disturbances more often in older patients than in younger patients. Older cardiologists personally treated psychologic disturbances more often in older patients than in younger ones. Individual interests and personalities of the internists were factors in their referral and treatment practices. Some internists referred more patients with psychologic disturbances and others personally treated most of these cases, regardless of the age of the patient.