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Psychiatric consultation to elderly medical and surgical inpatients in a general hospital

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Abstract

The elderly (65 years or older) constitute approximately 25% of the patients referred for psychiatric consultations in general hospitals. The authors compared the clinical characteristics of and treatment recommendations for elderly and younger (less than 65 years) patients. Our findings revealed fourteen distinctive characteristics which differentiated the elderly from the younger patients. Most notably, the elderly have had a longer hospitalization at the time of the request for a psychiatric consultation and had a higher prevalence of organic brain syndromes (O.B.S.). Some of the implications of these results are discussed with the view to planning psychiatric services for the elderly in general hospitals.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Ottawa Civic Hospital, 1053 Carling Avenue, KIY 4E9, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

    Edgardo L. Pérez M.D., M.P.H. (F.R.C.P.(C), Staff Psychiatrist),  Marvin Silverman M.D. (F.R.C.P.(C), Chief) &  Jane Blouin Ph.D. (Research Associate)

  2. University of Ottawa School of Medicine, Canada

    Edgardo L. Pérez M.D., M.P.H. (F.R.C.P.(C), Staff Psychiatrist) &  Marvin Silverman M.D. (F.R.C.P.(C), Chief)

Authors
  1. Edgardo L. Pérez M.D., M.P.H.
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  2. Marvin Silverman M.D.
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  3. Jane Blouin Ph.D.
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Additional information

The authors acknowledge the editorial assistance of Dr. Barbara Brunhuber in the preparation of this manuscript.

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Pérez, E.L., Silverman, M. & Blouin, J. Psychiatric consultation to elderly medical and surgical inpatients in a general hospital. Psych Quart 57, 18–22 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01064973

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