The elderly in the psychiatric emergency service (PES); a descriptive study

BMC Psychiatry

Research Article

Yves Chaput¹  Edith Labonté²  Lucie Beaulieu³  Michel Paradis⁴ 

[1] 365, Rue Normand, suite 230, J3A 1T6, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada;Department of Psychiatry, Enfant-Jesus Hospital, 1401 18th street, Quebec, G1J 1Z4, Quebec, Canada;Department of Psychiatry, Haut-Richelieu Hospital, 920 Boulevard du Séminaire Nord, J3A 1B7, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada;Department of Psychiatry, Notre-Dame Hospital, 1560 Sherbrooke street East, H2L 4M1, Montreal, Quebec, Canada;

关键词: Anxiety Disorder;    Personality Disorder;    Cognitive Disorder;    Canadian Community Health Survey;    Cognitive Disorder;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1471-244X-11-111

 received in 2010-06-21, accepted in 2011-07-15,  发布年份 2011

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThe impact of an aging population on the psychiatric emergency service (PES) has not been fully ascertained. Cognitive dysfunctions aside, many DSM-IV disorders may have a lower prevalence in the elderly, who appear to be underrepresented in the PES. We therefore attempted to more precisely assess their patterns of PES use and their clinical and demographic characteristics.MethodsClose to 30,000 visits to a general hospital PES (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) were acquired between 1990 and 2004 and pooled with over 17,000 visits acquired using the same methodology at three other services in Quebec between 2002 and 2004.ResultsThe median age of PES patients increased over time. However, the proportion of yearly visits attributable to the elderly (compared to those under 65) showed no consistent increase during the observation period. The pattern of return visits (two to three, four to ten, eleven or more) did not differ from that of patients under 65, although the latter made a greater number of total return visits per patient. The elderly were more often women (62%), widowed (28%), came to the PES accompanied (42%) and reported « illness » as an important stressor (29%). About 39% were referred for depression or anxiety. They were less violent (10%) upon their arrival. Affective disorders predominated in the diagnostic profile, they were less co-morbid and more likely admitted than patients under 65.ConclusionAlthough no proportional increase in PES use over time was found the elderly do possess distinct characteristics potentially useful in PES resource planning so as to better serve this increasingly important segment of the general population.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Chaput et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2011