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Psychiatric Liaison Referrals of Elderly In-patients in a Teaching Hospital

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Amanda M. Poynton
Amanda M. Poynton*
Affiliation:
United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy's and St Thomas's Hospitals, Guy's Hospital, St Thomas's Street, London SEJ 9RT
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Abstract

A retrospective review of 131 psychiatric referrals of hospital in-patients aged 65 years and older was made to examine the referral rate, the characteristics of referred patients, and the pattern of diagnoses and recommendations made by the psychiatrist. The referral rate was much less than the estimated prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in similar populations. The majority of referrals received a psychiatric diagnosis, most commonly an organic psychiatric syndrome (37%) or depression (23%). Comparison of various aspects of referral for the periods before and after the introduction of a specific psychiatric liaison service for the elderly showed little change apart from a small increase in referral rate.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 152 , Issue 1 , January 1988 , pp. 45 - 47
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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