The Frequency of Psychological Symptoms in the Elderly: A Cross-Sectional Field Study in Istanbul, Turkey

Introduction: Various reports have documented the psychological issues that affect the elderly. According to estimates, approximately ۲۰% of the geriatric population experiences at least one psychological symptom or disorder. The aim of this study is to establish the frequency of psychological symptoms in the elderly population in İstanbul, Turkey. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with ۳۵۰ participants aged ۶۵ and over, between ۰۱.۰۲.۲۰۱۹ and ۱۹.۰۷.۲۰۱۹. The psychiatric symptoms of the participants were evaluated with the Symptom Check List-۹۰ Revised (SCL-۹۰-R) test. Results: Psychological symptoms are present in ۳۲.۹% of the elderly population. The prevalence of depressive symptoms is ۳۲.۹% and the rate of obsessions is ۲۶.۶%. Somatization is present in ۱۳.۴% of cases, while interpersonal sensitivity is observed in ۸.۹% of cases. The paranoid symptom rate is ۱۰.۶%. While ۶.۹% of the participants have possible anger disorder symptoms, the rate of participants with anxiety symptoms is ۶.۶%. The rate of participants with probable phobic symptoms is ۵.۴%, and the rate of those with psychotic symptoms is ۴.۰%. Conclusion: Psychiatric problems encountered in old age negatively affect the quality of life. Because the most common psychological symptoms were depression, obsession, and somatization, family physicians should conduct screenings for possible mental problems in elderly individuals registered with them, regardless of the reason. Corresponding Author: Can Oner View Orcid in Profile You can search for this author in PubMed     Google Scholar Profile

Keywords:

Aged , Psychological Symptoms , Depression , Obsession , Somatization