PSYCHOTIC SYMPTOMS IN THE ELDERLY - A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY IN A POPULATION-SAMPLE

Background. Most of what is known about psychotic symptoms in older pe rsons is based on hospital series of severe disorders. Method. In the course of a longitudinal community-based survey of older persons, the presence of psychotic symptoms was assessed on two occasions 3-4 years apart. Results. The point prevalence was 5.7%. Risk factors were cogn itive impairment, living alone, being male, having had limited educati on, social isolation, poor health and depressive symptoms. Of the 65 p ersons who were symptomatic at the start, only six of those still aliv e had one or more psychotic symptoms after 3-4 years. The incidence wa s 6.0% over a period of 3.6 years. Conclusions. Risk factors for psych otic symptoms in later life lie in age-related cognitive impairment in interaction with a range of environmental and psychosocial variables. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.