Depression in elderly patients hospitalized in psychiatry

INTRODUCTION: Depression in the elderly represents a major public health problem, due to its high prevalence and its deleterious consequences in terms of morbidity and mortality, in particular by suicide. OBJECTIVES: 1-Draw up the socio-demographic and clinical profile of elderly patients hospitalized in psychiatry for a major depressive episode 2-Determine the semiological and therapeutic characteristics of depression in the elderly. METHODS: Participants were outpatients of Psychiatry B department in Hedi chaker University Hospital Center in Tunisia, over the age of 65, hospitalized in psychiatry for a major depressive episode, recruted between 2000 and 2015. The data was collected using a pre-established sheet containing socio-demographic information, the clinical and evolutionary characteristics of the depressive episode and the therapeutic data concerning the depressive episode. RESULTS: 30 patients were included in this study with an average age (69 Y) and sex ratio (0.66). More than half (53.3%, 16 patients) had a history of chronic somatic disease. The average length of hospitalization was 26 days. The most frequent reason for hospitalization is sadness of mood (43.3%) with cognitive impairment as the predominant clinical symptomatology (40%). 93.3% of the population received as treatment an antidepressant mainly Fluoxetine (50%). CONCLUSIONS: Depression and its different modes of expression in the elderly is a serious condition with direct effects on quality of life. Early detection is desirable in order to set up appropriate management, and thus prevent the occurrence of complications such as suicide.