[Psychiatric diseases in the elderly in an urban Aragonese population (Spain) and their relation to health determinants]

Abstract

As a part of the SAMAR 89 Project on mental health, we present the results of a psychiatric epidemiological research (in two stages) in a representative sample of the elderly urban population of Zaragoza (Spain). We study the relation between psychological disorders and sociodemographic factors, and network and social support. In the first stage we use a adaptation of the Enquête Santé Quebec and the General Health Questionnaire of 28 items of Goldberg. The Clinical Interview Schedule and the monumental state of Folstein were used for the psychiatric diagnoses in the second stage (diagnoses criteria of the DSM-III). The psychological disorders were more frequent on the women, the more aged and the ones of low socioeconomic level. Also was detected a correspondence between bad mental health and problems in the network and social support.