Abstract
Behind the etiological and public health functions of epidemiology is the heuristic value it offers in leading to a style of thinking. For any professional working with the elderly, there is so much to be gained by thinking in terms of the denominator. So, whatever the clinical issue, it very frequently helps to ask oneself, “What is the true population out of which this particular problem has emerged?” In this paper I shall try to review the present state of knowledge about the two main mental disorders in older persons: depression and dementia. Because of their overwhelming importance, I shall focus only on these but this is no way denies the importance of the epidemiology of anxiety states, hypochondriasis, alcohol abuse, or personality disorder in this age-group. I shall then go on to identify the major tasks which lie ahead for an advancement of knowledge and for public health.
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© 1986 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Henderson, A.S. (1986). Epidemiology of Mental Illness. In: Häfner, H., Moschel, G., Sartorius, N. (eds) Mental Health in the Elderly. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-70958-6_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-70958-6_4
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
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