Mental disorders among the community-dwelling elderly in Dublin

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of mental disorders among the community-dwelling elderly in the catchment area of a psychiatry for the elderly service in Dublin was determined. METHOD: A sample of 1232 individuals aged 65 years and over, identified from general practitioner practice lists, was interviewed using the Geriatric Mental State-AGECAT package. RESULTS: Depression and organic disorder occurred with prevalences of 10.3 and 4.1%, respectively. Depression diagnostic cases had comorbid anxiety at case level in 17.3% and at sub-case level in a further 59.9%. Organic diagnostic cases had comorbid depressive or anxiety symptoms, at case or sub-case level, in 32%. CONCLUSIONS: Depression is the most common mental disorder among the elderly in Dublin. The frequency of anxiety symptoms in the presentation of depression may be a factor in the under-diagnosis or misdiagnosis of depression in the community-dwelling elderly. Comorbid anxiety and depression in organic disorder may represent treatable symptoms.