Duckworth G S, Ross H
Can Med Assoc J. 1975 Apr 5;112(7):847-51.
National statistics on psychiatric illness in the elderly patient from Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom suggest great differences in morbidity in these three centres. The present study shows that these differences stem mainly from different diagnostic habits in the three countries, but also there were more alcoholics in the Canadian sample. In particular, the diagnostic bias of the New York psychiatrists towards diagnosing most elderly patients as senile was not shared by their Toronto colleagues. Some patients were psychiatrically well, in spite of receiving a psychiatric diagnosis, and could have been helped without hospitalization. In addition, some depressed patients were labelled senile. Recommendations include improvement of catchment and treatment facilities for the elderly alcoholic and the provision of psychogeriatric diagnostic centres.
来自加拿大、美国和英国的关于老年患者精神疾病的全国统计数据表明，这三个中心在发病率方面存在巨大差异。本研究表明，这些差异主要源于这三个国家不同的诊断习惯，但加拿大样本中的酗酒者也更多。特别是，纽约的精神科医生将大多数老年患者诊断为老年痴呆的诊断偏差，其多伦多的同事并不认同。一些患者尽管被诊断为精神疾病，但精神状态良好，无需住院治疗也能得到帮助。此外，一些抑郁症患者被贴上了老年痴呆的标签。建议包括改善老年酗酒者的收治和治疗设施，以及提供老年精神科诊断中心。
