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Mental health status of home care elders in Michigan
- Authors:
- LI Lydia W., CONWELL Yeates
- Journal article citation:
- Gerontologist, 47(4), August 2007, pp.528-534.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
This study describes the mental health status of community-living frail elders in Michigan and identifies subgroups of individuals who are vulnerable to mental health problems. The study analyzed the baseline assessment data collected from older adults who were admitted to two community-based long-term-care programs in Michigan (N = 18,939). The programmes aim to help adults at risk of nursing home placement to remain in the community by providing them with supportive services. Results show that 40.5% of the individuals in the sample have recognized mental disorders, 39.6% use psychotropic medications, 24.5% have probable depression, and 1.4% have self-injury thoughts or attempts. Frail elders who are White, younger, and female - as well as those who experience more pain, disease burden, cognitive impairment, and limitations in instrumental activities of daily living - are more prone to psychological distress. Mental health care is greatly needed by community-living frail elders.
Health status and suicide in the second half of life
- Authors:
- CONWELL Yeates, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 25(4), April 2010, pp.371-379.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This paper examines the associations of suicide in older people with medical and psychiatric illness and functional limitations. A retrospective case-control design was used to compare 86 people over 50 who committed suicide with a comparison group of 86 participants that were individually matched on age, gender, race, and locality. Findings showed that suicide victims had mood and anxiety disorders, worse physical health status, and greater impairment in functional capacity. They were more likely to have required psychiatric treatment, hospitalisation in the last year, and a visiting home care service. In a multivariate model, the presence of any active disorder and any impairment in instrumental activities of daily living made independent contributions to suicide risk. The authors concluded that mental and physical illness along with functional impairments increased risk of suicide in this age group. In addition to individuals with psychiatric illness, those with severe or comorbid physical illness and functional disability who require inpatient and home care services should be targeted for screening and preventive interventions.