[psychogeriatric disorders and mortality].

In two representative samples of persons aged over 65, living in private households (N = 343) and in nursing homes (N = 146), mortality was studied prospectively in relation to psychiatric status. After a cross-sectional baseline examination the two groups were followed up over eight and six years respectively. The study shows a high mortality risk among persons with dementing disorders and a short-term increase among persons with functional psychiatric disorders, even after controlling for the most significant confounding variables (age, sex, physical impairment) using the proportional hazards regression model developed by Cox.