Abstract
Outcome studies of affective disorders have repeatedly demonstrated a high mortality rate in elderly patients compared with general population groups of the same age. This excess mortality, which is not accounted for by suicides, is particularly marked in men. In one study the mortality during a 1-year follow-up of a group of 124 elderly depressed patients in east London was 19% for men and 11% for women, three times the expected rate for men and double that for women.1
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
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Murphy E. The prognosis of depression in old age. Br J Psychiatry 1983; 142: 111–119.
Feighner JP, Robins E, Guze SB, et al. Diagnostic criteria for use in psychiatric research. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1972; 26: 57–73.
Wing JK, Cooper JE, Sartorius N. Measurement and Classification of Psychiatric Symptoms. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1974.
Bond J, Brooks P, Carstairs V, et al. Reliability of a survey psychiatric assessment schedule for the elderly. Br J Psychiatry 1980; 137: 148–162.
Brown GW, Harris TO. Social Origins of Depression. London: Tavistock, 1978.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1989 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Murphy, E., Lindesay, J.E.B. (1989). Excess Mortality in Late Life Depression. In: Lerer, B., Gershon, S. (eds) New Directions in Affective Disorders. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3524-8_81
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3524-8_81
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-0-387-96769-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-3524-8
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive