Pattern Of Psychiatric Morbidity Among Elderly Patients At The Mathari National Teaching And Referral Hospital :a Retrospective Study

Abstract

Introduction: Old age refers to ages nearing or surpassing life expectancy of human beings, in this study 60 years and above. In Kenya, they represent about 3.8% of the total population, slightly more men than women. Internationally, in the elderly around 20% suffer from a neurological or a mental disorder with disability due to mental and neurological disorders at 6.6%. However, there is a scarcity of research on this topic regionally and locally. Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the pattern of psychiatric morbidity among elderly patients attended to at the Mathari Teaching and Referral Hospital and examine the associated socio-demographic variables Methods: This was a retrospective study of elderly patients from January 1998 to December 2017, using their medical records. Information obtained included socio-demographic data and psychiatric diagnosis made at presentation. Data was analyzed using the SPSS version 25.0 Setting: Elderly patients aged 60 years and above attended at the Mathari Hospital during study period who met the study criteria were used in the study. Data analysis: Data was analyzed using SPSS version 25.0 and results presented in narratives, tables, charts and graphs Results- A total of 1670 elderly patients were reviewed, Median Age is 69 (IQR 12). The lowest number of patients reviewed was 1998 with 0.42% and the highest in 2016 at 10.48%, more than half (50.24%) were in age group of 60-69 years, majority were females (60.54%), majority were married(63.29%), most of the elderly patients were Christians (91.08%), 33.29% of these elderly patients had reached primary level who were the majority. Majority of the elderly patient’s occupation was not documented (40.72%), with the most common diagnosis being dementia at 37%. Conclusion: The most common diagnosis made was dementia with the risk being more in females, separated, in the 70-79 years age group.