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.