Abstract
The world’s population is currently aging at an astonishing rate. It is estimated that the global proportion of older adults (age 60+ years) will almost double between 2015 and 2050, from 12% to 22%. This constitutes an increase from approximately 900 million older adults to 2 billion. It is worth noting that the current population of people age 80 years and older is about 125 million. And by 2050, most of the elderly (80%) will be living in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) (WHO, 2018).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Achdut, N., & Sarid, O. (2020). Socio-economic status, self-rated health and mental health: T-the mediation effect of social participation on early-late midlife and older adults. Israel Journal of Health Policy Research, 9(1), 4. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13584-019-0359-8.
APA. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association (APA).
Bellis, M. A., Lowey, H., Hughes, K., Deacon, L., Stansfield, J., & Perkins, C. (2012). Variations in risk and protective factors for life satisfaction and mental wellbeing with deprivation: A cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health, 12, 492. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-12-492.
Blazer, D. G., & Hybels, C. F. (2005). Origins of depression in later life. Psychological Medicine, 35(9), 1241–1252. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291705004411
Buigues, C., Padilla-Sánchez, C., Garrido, J. F., Navarro-Martínez, R., Ruiz-Ros, V., & Cauli, O. (2015). The relationship between depression and frailty syndrome: A systematic review. Aging & Mental Health, 19(9), 762–772. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2014.967174
Clouston, S. A. P., Brewster, P., Kuh, D., Richards, M., Cooper, R., Hardy, R., … Hofer, S. M. (2013). The dynamic relationship between physical function and cognition in longitudinal aging cohorts. Epidemiologic Reviews, 35(1), 33–50. https://doi.org/10.1093/epirev/mxs004
Conejero, I., Olié, E., Courtet, P., & Calati, R. (2018). Suicide in older adults: Current perspectives. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 13, 691–699. https://doi.org/10.2147/cia.S130670
Connell, J., Brazier, J., O’Cathain, A., Lloyd-Jones, M., & Paisley, S. (2012). Quality of life of people with mental health problems: A synthesis of qualitative research. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 10, 138. https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7525-10-138
Connell, J., O’Cathain, A., & Brazier, J. (2014). Measuring quality of life in mental health: Are we asking the right questions? Social Science & Medicine, 120, 12–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.08.026.
Courtin, E., & Knapp, M. (2017). Social isolation, loneliness and health in old age: A scoping review. Health & Social Care in the Community, 25(3), 799–812. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.12311
Diener, E., Suh, E. M., Lucas, R. E., & Smith, H. L. (1999). Subjective Well-being: Three decades of progress. Psychological Bulletin, 125(2), 276–302. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.125.2.276
Fan, D.-M. (2014). Holistic integrative medicine. American Journal of Digestive Disease, 1(1), 22–36.
Fiske, A., Wetherell, J. L., & Gatz, M. (2009). Depression in older adults. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 5, 363–389. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.032408.153621
Friedman, M. B. (2017). Meeting the mental health challenges of the elder boom. Retrieved from https://networkofcare.org/library/Issuesbrief.pdf.
Gary, F. A. (2005). Stigma: Barrier to mental health care among ethnic minorities. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 26(10), 979–999. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840500280638
Gleeson, H., Hafford-Letchfield, T., Quaife, M., Collins, D. A., & Flynn, A. (2019). Preventing and responding to depression, self-harm, and suicide in older people living in long term care settings: A systematic review. Aging & Mental Health, 23(11), 1467–1477. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2018.1501666
Goldberg, D. S., & McGee, S. J. (2011). Pain as a global public health priority. BMC Public Health, 11, 770. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-11-770.
Härter, M. C., Conway, K. P., & Merikangas, K. R. (2003). Associations between anxiety disorders and physical illness. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 253(6), 313–320. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-003-0449-y.
Hert, M. D., Correll, C. U., Bobes, J., Cetkovich-Bakmas, M., Cohen, D., Asai, I., … Leucht, S. (2011). Physical illness in patients with severe mental disorders. I. Prevalence, impact of medications and disparities in health care. World Psychiatry, 10(1), 52–77. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2051-5545.2011.tb00014.x.
Hong, H., Kim, B. S., & Im, H. I. (2016). Pathophysiological role of neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric disorders. International Neurourology Journal, 20(Suppl 1), S2–S7. https://doi.org/10.5213/inj.1632604.302
Hornby-Turner, Y. C., Peel, N. M., & Hubbard, R. E. (2017). Health assets in older age: A systematic review. BMJ Open, 7(5), e013226–e013226. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-013226
IHME. (2017). Global burden of disease data visualisations. Seattle, WA: Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Retrieved from http://www.healthdata.org/data-visualization/gbd-compare
Jackson, T., Thomas, S., Stabile, V., Shotwell, M., Han, X., & McQueen, K. (2016). A systematic review and meta-analysis of the global burden of chronic pain without clear etiology in low- and middle-income countries: Trends in heterogeneous data and a proposal for new assessment methods. Anesthesia and Analgesia, 123(3), 739–748. https://doi.org/10.1213/ane.0000000000001389
Jalenques, I., Rondepierre, F., Rachez, C., Lauron, S., & Guiguet-Auclair, C. (2020). Health-related quality of life among community-dwelling people aged 80 years and over: A cross-sectional study in France. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 18(1), 126. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12955-020-01376-2.
Jayatilleke, N., Hayes, R. D., Chang, C.-K., & Stewart, R. (2018). Acute general hospital admissions in people with serious mental illness. Psychological Medicine, 48(16), 2676–2683. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291718000284
Kadariya, S., Gautam, R., & Aro, A. R. (2019). Physical activity, mental health, and wellbeing among older adults in south and Southeast Asia: A scoping review. BioMed Research International, 2019, 6752182. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/6752182
Kassem, A. M., Ganguli, M., Yaffe, K., Hanlon, J. T., Lopez, O. L., Wilson, J. W., & Cauley, J. A. (2017). Anxiety symptoms and risk of cognitive decline in older community-dwelling men. International Psychogeriatrics, 29(7), 1137–1145. https://doi.org/10.1017/S104161021700045X
Kohrt, B. A., Griffith, J. L., & Patel, V. (2018). Chronic pain and mental health: Integrated solutions for global problems. Pain, 159(Suppl 1), S85–s90. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001296
Kuerbis, A., Sacco, P., Blazer, D. G., & Moore, A. A. (2014). Substance abuse among older adults. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, 30(3), 629–654. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cger.2014.04.008
Kuh, D., Karunananthan, S., Bergman, H., & Cooper, R. (2014). A life-course approach to healthy ageing: Maintaining physical capability. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 73(2), 237–248.
Kyriazis, D., Autexier, S., Boniface, M., Engen, V., Jimenez-Peris, R., Jordan, B., … Wajid, U. (2019). The CrowdHEALTH project and the hollistic health records: Collective wisdom driving public health policies. Acta Informatica Medica, 27(5), 369–373. https://doi.org/10.5455/aim.2019.27.369-373.
Larraga, L., Saz, P., Dewey, M. E., Marcos, G., & Lobo, A. (2006). Validation of the Spanish version of the EURO-D scale: An instrument for detecting depression in older people. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 21(12), 1199–1205. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.1642
Lee, H. J., Choi, E. J., Nahm, F. S., Yoon, I. Y., & Lee, P. B. (2018). Prevalence of unrecognized depression in patients with chronic pain without a history of psychiatric diseases. Korean Journal of Pain, 31(2), 116–124. https://doi.org/10.3344/kjp.2018.31.2.116
Lee, M. (2006). Promoting mental health and well-being in later life: A first report from the UK inquiry into mental health and well-being in later life. London, UK: Age Concern and Mental Health Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/sites/default/files/promoting_mh_wb_later_life.pdf
Li, Y., Cai, X., & Cram, P. (2011). Are patients with serious mental illness more likely to be admitted to nursing homes with more deficiencies in care? Medical Care, 49(4), 397–405. https://doi.org/10.1097/MLR.0b013e318202ac10
Liu, N. H., Daumit, G. L., Dua, T., Aquila, R., Charlson, F., Cuijpers, P., … Saxena, S. (2017). Excess mortality in persons with severe mental disorders: A multilevel intervention framework and priorities for clinical practice, policy and research agendas. World Psychiatry, 16(1), 30–40. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20384
López, M., Laviana, M., Fernández, L., López, A., Rodríguez, A. M., & Aparicio, A. (2008). La lucha contra el estigma y la discriminación en salud mental: Una estrategia compleja basada en la información disponible. Revista de la Asociación Española de Neuropsiquiatría, 28, 48–83. Retrieved from http://scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0211-57352008000100004&nrm=iso
Markle-Reid, M., Weir, R., Browne, G., Roberts, J., Gafni, A., & Henderson, S. (2006). Health promotion for frail older home care clients. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 54(3), 381–395. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2006.03817.x
Mueller, C., Thompsell, A., Harwood, D., Bagshaw, P., & Burns, A. (2017). A practice primer in mental health in older people. London, UK: NHS England and NHS Improvement. Retrieved from https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/a-practice-primer-on-mental-health-in-older-people/
Naylor, C., Pardonage, M., McDaid, D., Kmapp, M., Fossey, M., & Galea, A. (2012). Long-term conditions and mental health. The cost of co-morbidities. London, UK: King’s Fund and Centre for Mental Health. Retrieved from https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/sites/default/files/field/field_publication_file/long-term-conditions-mental-health-cost-comorbidities-naylor-feb12.pdf
NICE. (2017). Multimorbidity quality standard [QS153]. London, UK: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Retrieved from https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs153
Nilsson, J., Sigström, R., Östling, S., Waern, M., & Skoog, I. (2019). Changes in the expression of worries, anxiety, and generalized anxiety disorder with increasing age: A population study of 70 to 85-year-olds. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 34(2), 249–257. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.5012
O’Donnell, G., Deaton, A., Durand, M., Halpern, D., & Layard, R. (2014). Wellbeing and policy. London, UK: Legatum Institute. Retrieved from https://li.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/commission-on-wellbeing-and-policy-report-march-2014-pdf.pdf
Ohrnberger, J., Fichera, E., & Sutton, M. (2017a). The dynamics of physical and mental health in the older population. The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, 9, 52–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeoa.2016.07.002.
Ohrnberger, J., Fichera, E., & Sutton, M. (2017b). The relationship between physical and mental health: A mediation analysis. Social Science & Medicine, 195, 42–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.11.008
OPS/PAHO. (2020). Promoción de la salud. Organización Panamericana de la Salud (OPS) / Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Retrieved from https://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_topics&view=article&id=144&Itemid=40829&lang=es.
Pereira, F. G., França, M. H., Paiva, M. C. A., Andrade, L. H., & Viana, M. C. (2017). Prevalence and clinical profile of chronic pain and its association with mental disorders. Rev Saude Publica, 51, 96. https://doi.org/10.11606/s1518-8787.2017051007025
PHE. (2017). Guidance: Productive healthy ageing and musculoskeletal (MSK) health. London, UK: Public Health England (PHE), UK Government. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/productive-healthy-ageing-and-musculoskeletal-health/productive-healthy-ageing-and-musculoskeletal-msk-health
PHE. (2019a). Guidance 6. Working age adults. London, UK: Public Health England (PHE), UK Government. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/better-mental-health-jsna-toolkit/6-working-age-adults
PHE. (2019b). Guidance 7. Living well in older years. London, UK: Public Health England (PHE), UK Government. Retrieved from. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/better-mental-health-jsna-toolkit/7-living-well-in-older-years
Prince, M. J., Wu, F., Guo, Y., Gutierrez Robledo, L. M., O'Donnell, M., Sullivan, R., & Yusuf, S. (2015). The burden of disease in older people and implications for health policy and practice. Lancet, 385(9967), 549–562. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(14)61347-7
Puvill, T., Lindenberg, J., de Craen, A. J. M., Slaets, J. P. J., & Westendorp, R. G. J. (2016). Impact of physical and mental health on life satisfaction in old age: A population based observational study. BMC Geriatrics, 16(1), 194. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-016-0365-4.
Rashbrook, E. (2019). Health matters: Prevention – A life course approach. London, UK: Public Health England (PHE), UK Government. Retrieved from https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2019/05/23/health-matters-prevention-a-life-course-approach/
RCPSYCH. (2020). Alcohol and older people. London, UK: Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPSYCH). Retrieved from https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/problems-disorders/alcohol-and-older-people
REDMS. (2020). El envejecimiento y la utilización de los servicios de salud en América Latina y el Caribe en 2003. Red Mayores Saludables (REDMS), Observatorio de Salud y Envejecimiento. Retrieved from http://observatorio.mayoressaludables.org/el-envejecimiento-y-la-utilizacion-de-los-servicios-de-salud-en-america-latina-y-el-caribe.
Riedel-Heller, S. G., Busse, A., & Angermeyer, M. C. (2006). The state of mental health in old-age across the ‘old’ European Union – A systematic review. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 113(5), 388–401. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.2005.00632.x
Romero Ruvalcaba, J. T. (2005). Discriminación y adultos mayores: Un problema mayor. El Cotidiano, 134, 56–63. Retrieved from https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/325/32513408.pdf
Sala, G., Jopp, D., Gobet, F., Ogawa, M., Ishioka, Y., Masui, Y., … Gondo, Y. (2019). The impact of leisure activities on older adults' cognitive function, physical function, and mental health. PLoS One, 14(11), e0225006. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0225006.
SAMHSA. (2019). Older adults living with serious mental illnesses. The state of the behavioral health workforce. Washington, DC: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/d7/priv/pep19-olderadults-smi.pdf
Shah, A. A., & Han, J. Y. (2015). Anxiety. Continuum (Minneap Minn), 21(3 Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry), 772–782. https://doi.org/10.1212/01.CON.0000466665.12779.dc.
Speer, D. C., & Schneider, M. G. (2003). Mental health needs of older adults and primary care: Opportunity for interdisciplinary geriatric team practice. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(1), 85–101. https://doi.org/10.1093/clipsy/10.1.85
Strine, T. W., Chapman, D. P., Balluz, L., & Mokdad, A. H. (2008). Health-related quality of life and health behaviors by social and emotional support. Their relevance to psychiatry and medicine. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 43(2), 151–159. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-007-0277-x
Thiyagarajan, J. A., Araujo de Carvalho, I., Peña-Rosas, J. P., Chadha, S., Mariotti, S. P., Dua, T., … Beard, J. R. (2019). Redesigning care for older people to preserve physical and mental capacity: WHO guidelines on community-level interventions in integrated care. PLoS Medicine, 16(10), e1002948–e1002948. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002948
THSP. (2017). 10 ways to promote positive mental health. Bedford, UK: The Health and Safety People (THSP). Retrieved from https://www.thsp.co.uk/2017/10/10-ways-promote-positive-mental-health/
Tseng, Y.-C., Liu, S. H.-Y., Lou, M.-F., & Huang, G.-S. (2018). Quality of life in older adults with sensory impairments: A systematic review. Quality of Life Research, 27(8), 1957–1971. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-018-1799-2
WHO. (n.d.). About WHO—WHO we are: Constitution. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization (WHO). https://www.who.int/about/who-we-are/constitution
WHO. (2002). Reducing stigma and discrimination against older people with mental disorders. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved from https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/67380
WHO. (2005). Promoting mental health: Concepts, emerging evidence, practice. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/mental_health/evidence/MH_Promotion_Book.pdf?ua=1
WHO. (2012). Dementia: A public health priority. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization (WHO) – Alzheimer's Disease International. Retrieved from. https://www.who.int/mental_health/publications/dementia_report_2012/en/
WHO. (2017a). 10 facts on ageing and health. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/features/factfiles/ageing/en/
WHO. (2017b). Global action plan on the public health response to dementia 2017–2025. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/mental_health/neurology/dementia/action_plan_2017_2025/en/
WHO. (2017c). Global strategy and action plan on ageing and health [License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO]. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/ageing/WHO-GSAP-2017.pdf?ua=1
WHO. (2017d). Integrated care for older people: Guidelines on community-level interventions to manage declines in intrinsic capacity. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved from https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/258981
WHO. (2017e). Mental health of older adults. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-of-older-adults
WHO. (2018). Ageing and health. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health
WHO. (2019). Suicide. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide
WHO. (2020). Salud mental. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/topics/mental_health/es
WHOQOL Group. (1994). Development of the WHOQOL: Rationale and current status. International Journal of Mental Health, 23(3), 24–56. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207411.1994.11449286
WHOQOL Group. (1995). The World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment (WHOQOL): Position paper from the World Health Organization. Social Science & Medicine, 41(10), 1403–1409. https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-9536(95)00112-k
Wolitzky-Taylor, K. B., Castriotta, N., Lenze, E. J., Stanley, M. A., & Craske, M. G. (2010). Anxiety disorders in older adults: A comprehensive review. Depression and Anxiety, 27(2), 190–211. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.20653
Young, K. W., Ng, P., Kwok, T., & Cheng, D. (2017). The effects of holistic health group interventions on improving the cognitive ability of persons with mild cognitive impairment: A randomized controlled trial. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 12, 1543–1552. https://doi.org/10.2147/cia.S142109
Zis, P., Daskalaki, A., Bountouni, I., Sykioti, P., Varrassi, G., & Paladini, A. (2017). Depression and chronic pain in the elderly: Links and management challenges. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 12, 709–720. https://doi.org/10.2147/cia.s113576
Acknowledgments
To Oscar San Pedro Caligua for his creative support.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Sosa, A.L., Miranda, B., Acosta, I. (2021). Links Between Mental Health and Physical Health, Their Impact on the Quality of Life of the Elderly, and Challenges for Public Health. In: Angel, J.L., López Ortega, M., Gutierrez Robledo, L.M. (eds) Understanding the Context of Cognitive Aging. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-70119-2_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-70119-2_4
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-70118-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-70119-2
eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)