LOW-PREVALENCE OF AGE DISORIENTATION IN DUTCH LONG-STAY PATIENTS

Studies in Great-Britain and the USA have established the prevalence o f 'age disorientation', defined as a discrepancy between true and subj ective age of five years or more, as approximately 25% in the populati on of long-stay patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. We examine d ah schizophrenic patients in long-stay wards of three mental hospita ls and found a prevalence of 6% (95% CI: 0.9-10.6%). We have no defini tive explanation for this finding. 'Age disorientation' may be the res ult of an interaction between a serious form of the illness and poor p sychosocial treatment.