Anita M Y Goh1,2,3, Alissa Westphal1, Teresa Daws4, Sophie Gascoigne-Cohen2, Bridget Hamilton4,2, Nicola T Lautenschlager1,2,5. 1. Academic Unit for Psychiatry of Old Age, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 2. St Vincent's Aged Mental Health Service, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 3. Neuropsychiatry Unit, Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 4. Department of Nursing, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 5. School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, WA Centre for Health & Ageing, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study contributes further research into the assessment and treatment of older psychiatric patients with medical comorbidities. METHODS: A retrospective file audit was conducted at the acute inpatient psychogeriatric unit of St Vincent's Aged Mental Health Service, Melbourne, in order to determine the prevalence of certain medical comorbidities and the nature of medical interventions provided for psychogeriatric inpatients. RESULTS: This study, investigating 165 admissions into an acute inpatient psychogeriatric unit, highlights that psychiatric and medical comorbidities are routine in this population: the vast majority (91.5%) of all inpatients had at least one medical comorbidity. CONCLUSIONS: As the population ages, psychogeriatric wards are likely to see more of the oldest-olds, who are likely to have comorbid medical illnesses. Currently, appropriate detection, investigation, and management of these illnesses are often suboptimal and can affect quality of life, increase mortality, and complicate treatment. This paper adds to the literature about the need for integrating medical and psychiatric care to create a more comprehensive strategy for treating the older person with psychiatric illness.
BACKGROUND: This study contributes further research into the assessment and treatment of older psychiatricpatients with medical comorbidities. METHODS: A retrospective file audit was conducted at the acute inpatient psychogeriatric unit of St Vincent's Aged Mental Health Service, Melbourne, in order to determine the prevalence of certain medical comorbidities and the nature of medical interventions provided for psychogeriatric inpatients. RESULTS: This study, investigating 165 admissions into an acute inpatient psychogeriatric unit, highlights that psychiatric and medical comorbidities are routine in this population: the vast majority (91.5%) of all inpatients had at least one medical comorbidity. CONCLUSIONS: As the population ages, psychogeriatric wards are likely to see more of the oldest-olds, who are likely to have comorbid medical illnesses. Currently, appropriate detection, investigation, and management of these illnesses are often suboptimal and can affect quality of life, increase mortality, and complicate treatment. This paper adds to the literature about the need for integrating medical and psychiatric care to create a more comprehensive strategy for treating the older person with psychiatric illness.
Authors: Bernardo J Barra; Luis F Varela; José R Maldonado; Pilar Calvo; Anna Bastidas; Roberto Sánchez; Luis Pintor Journal: Medicina (Kaunas) Date: 2021-03-11 Impact factor: 2.430