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Prevalence of DSM—IV psychiatric disorder in the French elderly population

Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), E 0361 Pathologies of the Nervous System, Montpellier, France

A. Mann, MD

INSERM E 0361, and Section of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK

A.-M. Dupuy, MD PhD

INSERM E 0361, and University Department of Biochemistry, Hôpital Lapeyronie, Montpellier, France

A. Malafosse, MD

INSERM E 3061, and Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva, Switzerland

J.-P. Boulenger, MD

INSERM E 0361, and University La Colombière, Montpellier, France

Correspondence: Dr Karen Ritchie, INSERM E 0361 Pathologies of the Nervous System, Hôpital La Colombière, 39 avenue Charles Flahault, 34093 Montpellier Cedex 5, France. Tel: 04 99 61 45 60; fax: 04 99 61 45 79

Declaration of interest None.

Funding detailed in Acknowledgements.

Background France has high rates of psychotropic drug consumption and suicide in the elderly population, but it has not yet been possible to determine whether this is due to exceptionally high morbidity rates.

Aims To describe the first longitudinal population study of psychiatric disorder undertaken in France, and to estimate current and lifetime prevalences and age of onset of psychiatric disorder.

Method A study group of 1873 non-institutionalised persons aged 65 years and over was randomly recruited from the Montpellier district electoral rolls. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview was used to assess current and lifetime symptoms. Cases identified by the application of DSM — IV criteria were re-examined by a clinical panel.

Results Forty-six per cent of the study population had experienced a mental disorder in their lifetime, and 3.7% had made a suicide attempt. Lifetime prevalence of major depression was 26.5% and 30% for anxiety disorders. Current prevalence rates were 14.2% for anxiety disorders, 10.7% for phobia, 3% for major depression and 1.7% for psychosis.

Conclusions Results show veryhigh rates of lifetime but not current major depression. Rates of currentphobia and suicidal ideation in the very elderly are also high compared with other studies. The rates reported are likely to be underestimates.

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