Ageing and Mental Health: A 3-Year Analysis on Elderly Psychopathology in Northwest Malaysia

ABSTRACT Background: Ageing population has increased rapidly over the recent decades, so as the prevalent of mental illness among the elderly population.Objectives: Our study aimed to investigate the preva- lence of mental health problems among the elderly in our setting, the common diagnoses of elderly (aged 60 years old and above) psychiatric referrals and their socio-demograph- ic distribution.Method: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study over three-year period (2015-2017) looking at outpatient records of psychiatric clinic in our locality. Individual medi- cal records were retrieved and data pertaining to demog- raphy, cause of referral, diagnosis and follow-up progress were transcribed.Results: A total of 233 patients were included in the anal- ysis. Common causes of elderly psychiatric referral to our centre include schizophrenia (26.2%), depression (24.9%), dementia (14.2%) and mood disorders (12.0%). Among the commonest mental health illness in the elderly, schizophre- nia had the youngest age of referral among the elderly at 50.7 ± 16.12 years old while dementia had the oldest (72.7 ± 10.56 years old). Depression had a significantly younger age of referral as compared to dementia (p<0.001). Additionally, elderly with depression had a significant poor social/family support as compared to those with dementia (p