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Background• Mental disorders are among the most prevalent and impairing of chronic diseases. Aging is associated with chronic psychiatric disorders and decreased quality of life due to psychiatric morbidity. As the age pyramid is shaped by a dominant ageing tendency, the epidemiological profile of mental disorders and inpatient admission patterns might be changed. WHO anticipates unprecedented challenges on health services providing care to older individuals.• Portugal has one of the greatest aging indexes and one of the highest prevalence of psychiatric illness in Europe. It is crucial to understand the impact of ageing in the population of patients admitted to acute psychiatry care and prepare for upcoming population needs. This study aimed to describe a cohort of inpatients admitted to a Portuguese acute psychiatry ward and evaluate epidemiological and clinical trends within a 5 years period.

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