3 Risk Factors for Mental Health Problems among Older Adults-The Big Questions
Key Facts
- Approximately 15% of adults aged 60 and over suffer from a mental disorder.
- Current evidence suggests that 1 in 10 older people experience elder abuse. Elder abuse can lead not only to physical injuries, but also to serious, sometimes long-lasting psychological consequences, including depression and anxiety
- Mental health and emotional well-being are as important in older age as at any other time of life.
- Neuropsychiatric disorders among the older adults account for 6.6% of the total disability (DALYs) for this age group.
- Globally, the population is ageing rapidly. Between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of the world’s population over 60 years will nearly double, from 12% to 22%.
- Approximately 15% of adults aged 60 and over suffer from a mental disorder.
- Current evidence suggests that 1 in 10 older people experience elder abuse. Elder abuse can lead not only to physical injuries, but also to serious, sometimes long-lasting psychological consequences, including depression and anxiety
- Mental health and emotional well-being are as important in older age as at any other time of life.
- Neuropsychiatric disorders among the older adults account for 6.6% of the total disability (DALYs) for this age group.
- Globally, the population is ageing rapidly. Between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of the world’s population over 60 years will nearly double, from 12% to 22%.
The Problem
An elderly woman from Niger Delta, Nigeria-where women
are facing inequality in political, economic and societal sphere
- Older people face special physical and mental health challenges which need to be recognized.
- Those aged 60 or above, make important contributions to society as family members, volunteers and as active participants in the workforce.
- While most have good mental health, many older adults are at risk of developing mental disorders, neurological disorders or substance use problems as well as other health conditions such as diabetes, hearing loss, and osteoarthritis.
- Furthermore, as people age, they are more likely to experience several conditions at the same time.
- The most common neuropsychiatric disorders in this age group are dementia and depression.
- Over 20% of adults aged 60 and over suffer from a mental or neurological disorder (excluding headache disorders) and 6.6% of all disability (disability adjusted life years-DALYs) among over 60s is attributed to neurological and mental disorders. These disorders in the elderly population account for 17.4% of Years Lived with Disability (YLDs).
- Anxiety disorders affect 3.8% of the elderly population, substance use problems affect almost 1% and around a quarter of deaths from self-harm are among those aged 60 or above. Substance abuse problems among the elderly are often overlooked or misdiagnosed.
| An elderly woman from Niger Delta, Nigeria-where women are facing inequality in political, economic and societal sphere |
- Older people face special physical and mental health challenges which need to be recognized.
- Those aged 60 or above, make important contributions to society as family members, volunteers and as active participants in the workforce.
- While most have good mental health, many older adults are at risk of developing mental disorders, neurological disorders or substance use problems as well as other health conditions such as diabetes, hearing loss, and osteoarthritis.
- Furthermore, as people age, they are more likely to experience several conditions at the same time.
- The most common neuropsychiatric disorders in this age group are dementia and depression.
- Over 20% of adults aged 60 and over suffer from a mental or neurological disorder (excluding headache disorders) and 6.6% of all disability (disability adjusted life years-DALYs) among over 60s is attributed to neurological and mental disorders. These disorders in the elderly population account for 17.4% of Years Lived with Disability (YLDs).
- Anxiety disorders affect 3.8% of the elderly population, substance use problems affect almost 1% and around a quarter of deaths from self-harm are among those aged 60 or above. Substance abuse problems among the elderly are often overlooked or misdiagnosed.
3 Risk Factors for Mental Health Problems among Older Adults
Multiple social, psychological, and biological factors determine the level of mental health of a person at any point of time. Mental health has an impact on physical health and vice versa.
Biological Factors; older adults with physical health conditions such as heart disease have higher rates of depression than those who are medically well. Conversely, untreated depression in an older person with heart disease can negatively affect the outcome of the physical disease. Other factors are; typical life stressors common to all people. Many older adults lose their ability to live independently because of limited mobility, chronic pain, frailty or other mental or physical problems, and require some form of long-term care.
Social Factors; there are significant social and economic issues in terms of the direct costs of medical, social and informal care associated with treatment. Moreover, physical, emotional and economic pressures can cause great stress to families. Support is needed from the health, social, financial and legal systems for both elderly people living with mental health disorders and their caregivers.
Multiple social, psychological, and biological factors determine the level of mental health of a person at any point of time. Mental health has an impact on physical health and vice versa.
Biological Factors; older adults with physical health conditions such as heart disease have higher rates of depression than those who are medically well. Conversely, untreated depression in an older person with heart disease can negatively affect the outcome of the physical disease. Other factors are; typical life stressors common to all people. Many older adults lose their ability to live independently because of limited mobility, chronic pain, frailty or other mental or physical problems, and require some form of long-term care.
Social Factors; there are significant social and economic issues in terms of the direct costs of medical, social and informal care associated with treatment. Moreover, physical, emotional and economic pressures can cause great stress to families. Support is needed from the health, social, financial and legal systems for both elderly people living with mental health disorders and their caregivers.
Related Post; 5 Public Health Problems Worth Pushing for
Psychological Factors; older people are more likely to experience events such as;
- Bereavement
- A drop in socioeconomic status with retirement
- Disability.
- They are also vulnerable to elder abuse - including physical, sexual, psychological, emotional, financial and material abuse
- Abandonment; neglect; and serious losses of dignity and respect. Current evidence suggests that 1 in 10 older people experience elder abuse. Elder abuse can lead not only to physical injuries, but also to serious, sometimes long-lasting psychological consequences, including depression and anxiety
- All of these factors can result in isolation, loss of independence, loneliness and psychological distress in older people.
- Bereavement
- A drop in socioeconomic status with retirement
- Disability.
- They are also vulnerable to elder abuse - including physical, sexual, psychological, emotional, financial and material abuse
- Abandonment; neglect; and serious losses of dignity and respect. Current evidence suggests that 1 in 10 older people experience elder abuse. Elder abuse can lead not only to physical injuries, but also to serious, sometimes long-lasting psychological consequences, including depression and anxiety
- All of these factors can result in isolation, loss of independence, loneliness and psychological distress in older people.
Dementia and depression among the elderly as public health issues
Dementia is a syndrome in which there is deterioration in memory, thinking, behaviour and the ability to perform everyday activities. It mainly affects older people, although it is not a normal part of ageing.
People with mental health disorders and their families are often discriminated against-WHO/G. McKell
|
People with mental health disorders and their families are often discriminated against-WHO/G. McKell |
It is estimated that 47.5 million people worldwide are living with dementia. The total number of people with dementia is projected to increase to 75.6 million in 2030 and 135.5 million in 2050, with majority of sufferers living in low- and middle-income countries.
Depression can cause great suffering and leads to impaired functioning in daily life. Because of its devastating consequences, late life depression is an important public health problem. It's
associated with increased risk of morbidity, increased risk of suicide, decreased physical, cognitive and social functioning, and greater self-neglect, all of which are in turn associated with increased mortality (Blazer, 2003). At the same time, contrary to common perception, major depression appears to be less frequent among older adults than at earlier ages (Hasin, Goodwin, Stinson, & Grant, 2005).
Unipolar depression occurs in 7% of the general elderly population and it accounts for 5.7% of YLDs among over 60 year olds. Depression is both underdiagnosed and undertreated in primary care settings. Symptoms of depression in older adults are often overlooked and untreated because they coincide with other problems encountered by older adults.
Older adults with depressive symptoms have poorer functioning compared to those with chronic medical conditions such as lung disease, hypertension or diabetes. Depression also increases the perception of poor health, the utilization of medical services and health care costs.
associated with increased risk of morbidity, increased risk of suicide, decreased physical, cognitive and social functioning, and greater self-neglect, all of which are in turn associated with increased mortality (Blazer, 2003). At the same time, contrary to common perception, major depression appears to be less frequent among older adults than at earlier ages (Hasin, Goodwin, Stinson, & Grant, 2005).
Older adults with depressive symptoms have poorer functioning compared to those with chronic medical conditions such as lung disease, hypertension or diabetes. Depression also increases the perception of poor health, the utilization of medical services and health care costs.
The Big Questions
I wonder what is going through your minds while reading this article. Your guess is as good as mine-what does the future hold for my elderly parents,aunts,uncles,relatives or any friend/loved ones we hold dearly? What part are we individually playing to understand or sympathize with the biological and psychosocial barriers that comes with the aging process? More importantly, what has my government done regarding the social security/welfare for the "senior citizens"? Any? We cannot begin to fathom the answers to these questions-until if we arm ourselves with as much information as possible to start demanding for needed change now.
Barriers to collaborative care of the elderly
If you come from a low or middle income country(LMIC), then you can imagine the plight of the elderly who are facing both biological, socio-economical, cultural and psychological factors. Many LMIC in Africa are berserk with but not limited to; - poor governance and leadership structure
- lack of systematic mechanisms to ensure accountability, leading to corruption among government officials
- ineffective policy direction/implementation
- funding
- poor health care services and experts at the tertiary and primary health care settings
- absence or gross under funding of mental health care services
- lack of access to mental healthcare services at community primary health care settings
- insurgencies
- general insecurity
It is now more glaring that support is needed from the health, social, financial and legal systems for both elderly people living with mental health disorders and their caregivers. What is the situation in your country? Share your experience or views at the comment section or email me at joycepsychologymagazine@gmail.com. I will be glad to share it here. Together we can lend our voices in speaking up for improvement in welfare of the elderly. The next articles will share insights on the treatment options for the elderly.
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- poor governance and leadership structure
- lack of systematic mechanisms to ensure accountability, leading to corruption among government officials
- ineffective policy direction/implementation
- funding
- poor health care services and experts at the tertiary and primary health care settings
- absence or gross under funding of mental health care services
- lack of access to mental healthcare services at community primary health care settings
- insurgencies
- general insecurity
Don’t Miss Updates. Subscribe to this Magazine via Email or follow on;
- Facebook; web.facebook.com/LetTalkMentalHealth
- Twitter; Joyce Psych Magazine@joyceamthonia
- Instagram; www.instagram.com/joyce_psychology_magazine
- Google+; https://plus.google.com/u/1/collection/cmeqgB https://plus.google.com/u/2/communities/107301764576974497064
Contact me@
joycepsychologymagazine@gmail.com
joyceanthonia@gmail.com
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