Gender differences in survival of 234 patients referred to a psychogeriatric service

Objective. To explore the survival characteristics of psychogeriatric patie nts. Participants and setting. An historical cohort of 234 patients consecu tively referred to a specialized psychogeriatric service proximal to a gene ral health service in Perth, Western Australia. Methods. Linked health service data were analysed using relative survival a nalysis and actuarial methods. Results. Relative survival of the cohort after 40 months was significantly lower than the general population of the same age, sex and calendar period (0.78; 95% CI = 0.70-0.86). Male patients experienced twice the mortality r ate of female patients after adjustment for age (MRR = 2.10; 95% CI = 1.37- 3.20). Age, dementia, mood disorder and ethnicity had no independent effect s on mortality in male patients. Female patients with a diagnosis of dement ia experienced twice the mortality of female patients without this diagnosi s. The distribution of major underlying causes of death was similar in male s and females. Conclusions. Gender-specific factors appear to affect survival in psychoger iatric patients. Male patients are younger on average, but experience highe r mortality than female patients. Ethnic background does not influence mort ality in either male or female patients. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & So ns, Ltd.