Environmental and Behavioural Factors in Psychiatric Disorders in the Elderly: An Approach Through Risk Groups

Abstract

It is widely assumed that some groups of elderly are particularly at risk. The WHO Expert Group on Mental Disorders in the Elderly (WHO 1977) identified seven risk groups:

• 1. The very old, those aged 80 and over

• 2. The recently widowed

• 3. The never married

• 4. Those living alone

• 5. Those who are socially isolated (not necessarily those living alone)

• 6. Those without children

• 7. Those in poor economic circumstances

But this WHO listing does not exhaust all possibilities. In Britain, two groups have been identified on the basic of recent changes in their circumstances (Arie 1981; Williamson 1981b):

• 8. Those who have recently been discharged from hospital

• 9. Those who have recently changed their dwelling

Finally, there is some evidence that those from working class backgrounds are disadvantaged in a number of respects (Taylor and Ford 1982):

• 10. Those in social class V (manual non-skilled)