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Affective Disorders Among Elderly General Practice Patients

A Two-Phase Survey in Brescia, Italy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

C. Turrina ,
R. Caruso ,
R. Este ,
F. Lucchi ,
G. Fazzari ,
M. E. Dewey  and
A. Ermentini
C. Turrina*
Affiliation:
Cattedra di Clinica Psichiatrica, Università di Brescia
R. Caruso
Affiliation:
Cattedra di Clinica Psichiatrica, Università di Brescia
R. Este
Affiliation:
Cattedra di Clinica Psichiatrica, Università di Brescia
F. Lucchi
Affiliation:
Cattedra di Clinica Psichiatrica, Università di Brescia
G. Fazzari
Affiliation:
III C.P.S. via Manara 7, Brescia
M. E. Dewey
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Liverpool, PO Box 147, Liverpool
A. Ermentini
Affiliation:
Cattedra di Clinica Psichiatrica, Università di Brescia
*
Dr Cesare Turrina, Cattedra di Clinica Psichiatrica, Dipartimento Materno-Infantile, Università di Brescia, P. le Spedali Civili 1, 25125 Brescia, Italy
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Abstract

Background

We investigated the prevalence of depression among 255 elderly general practice patients and the practitioners' performance in identifying depression.

Method

Elderly patients attending 14 general practices entered a screening phase with GHQ-12 and MMSE. Those positive were then interviewed with GMS and HAS.

Results

DSM-III-R major depression affected 22.4%, dysthymic disorder 6.3%, not otherwise specified (n.o.s.) depression 7.1 %. General practitioners performed fairly well: identification index 88.4%, accuracy 0.49, bias 1.85.

Conclusions

Depression was markedly high. A selective progression of depressed elderly from the community to general practitioners is implied.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 165 , Issue 4 , October 1994 , pp. 533 - 537
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1994 

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