The elderly chronic schizophrenic inpatient: A study of psychiatric morbidity in ‘elderly graduates’

Abstract

SUMMARYThis study surveyed all chronic schizophrenic patients from I 1 long-stay wards of a mental hospital. Patients were assessed on a variety of rating scales to assess clinical psychopathology and behaviour. Patients above the age of 65 years were studied in detail and also compared with those under that age living on the same wards. It was found that all the elderly schizophrenic patients in the sample had severe deficits in the form of residual negative symptoms and thought disorder. They had significantly fewer positive but more negative symptoms as compared to a younger sample on the same wards; there was no differences between the groups for affective symptoms or thought disorder. Although there were more males in the sample, no difference was found on any of the parameters between the two sexes. It was concluded that there are significant clinical differences in the 'elderly graduates' as compared to younger patients living in an identical environment; such findings could assist managers and administrators in the development of plans for other patients in this age group who are likely to be relocated from psychiatric hospitals in the near future or are already living in the community.

The effects of aging on insight into illness in schizophrenia: a review

“…However, explorations of the literature on the effects of age on negative symptoms suggest that findings are mixed. In earlier reports, negative symptom severity was observed to increase with age (Soni and Mallik, 1993;Davidson et al, 1995;Gur et al, 1996). Conversely, subsequent and more recent studies have indicated that negative symptoms stabilize or attenuate with age (Schultz et al, 1997;Jeste et al, 2003;Cohen et al, 2013).…”

Psychiatric disorders in older women

“…In one study of chronic schizophrenia inpatients from 11 long-stay wards of a psychiatric hospital, elderly schizophrenic patients had more negative symptoms and fewer positive symptoms compared to younger schizophrenic patients. No differences in psychopathology were found between the sexes (Soni & Mallik, 1993). Thus, the long-term course of chronic schizophrenia in women is similar to that in men.…”

The Camberwell Elderly Mentally Ill and Their Needs for Services

“…This study of the elderly mentally ill who were living in the community paints a different picture to previous studies of mental hospitals' samples (Campbell, 1997;Soni & Mallik, 1993). They were mostly married or widowed white females who lived in mainstream housing, council estates or staffed homes.…”