Reifler B, Raskind M, Kethley A
J Am Geriatr Soc. 1982 Aug;30(8):530-3. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1982.tb01692.x.
Over 2300 patients referred to a geriatric outreach program were evaluated for the relationships between diagnosis and (1) referral reason, (2) referral source, and (3) age. Referral reason was only a clue to the eventual diagnosis. Patients referred for depression received a diagnosis of depression in only 46 per cent of such referrals, and patients referred for forgetfulness or confusion received a diagnosis of dementia in only 37 per cent of these referrals. Families were most likely to refer demented patients, and health agencies to refer depressed patients. Apartment managers and housing authority representatives were least likely to refer depressed patients and most likely to refer paranoid patients. The rate for diagnosis of dementia increased with age, whereas the rates for diagnoses of depression and alcohol/drug abuse decreased with age.
超过2300名被转诊至老年病外展项目的患者接受了评估，以探究诊断与以下因素之间的关系：（1）转诊原因；（2）转诊来源；（3）年龄。转诊原因只是最终诊断的一个线索。因抑郁被转诊的患者中，只有46%最终被诊断为抑郁症；因健忘或意识模糊被转诊的患者中，只有37%最终被诊断为痴呆症。家庭最有可能转诊痴呆患者，而医疗机构最有可能转诊抑郁症患者。公寓管理人员和住房管理部门代表转诊抑郁症患者的可能性最小，转诊偏执患者的可能性最大。痴呆症的诊断率随年龄增长而上升，而抑郁症和酒精/药物滥用的诊断率则随年龄增长而下降。
