Physical morbidity in elderly psychiatric inpatients: Prevalence and possible relations between the major mental disorders and physical illness

Background. This study examines the prevalence of physical morbidity in eld erly psychiatric inpatients and the possible relationships between major ps ychiatric disorders (organic mental disorders, schizophrenic and mood disor ders) and physical illnesses. The clinical implications of such relationshi ps are discussed. Method. Data were obtained from two old age psychiatry wards over a six mon th period. Seventy-nine subjects were studied and information was obtained from their medical files. Demographic characteristics; psychiatric diagnosi s, number of physical illnesses and number of body systems affected were co llected. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the psychiatric g roups on continuous outcome data and chi(2) test to compare psychiatric gro ups on categorical data. Results. Seventy-five per cent of subjects had at least one physical illnes s. The number of medical illnesses was independent from the psychiatric dis order. Subjects with mood disorders, and especially depression, were more l ikely to suffer from hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular illnesses th an subjects with schizophrenic or organic disorders. Subjects with organic disorders had the lowest prevalence of endocrine disease and diabetes, Conclusions. It was concluded the link between mood disorders (depression) cardiovascular diseases and hypertension could be of a 'cause/effect' type or are the results of a survivor effect. The high prevalence of physical mo rbidity has implications for training and continuing professional developme nt of those in Old Age Psychiatry Services. It should also be taken into co nsideration when the location of services is being decided. Copyright (C) 2 000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.