TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence of psychotic symptoms among older adults in an Asian population
AU - Subramaniam, Mythily
AU - Abdin, Edimansyah
AU - Vaingankar, Janhavi
AU - Picco, Louisa
AU - Shahwan, Shazana
AU - Jeyagurunathan, Anitha
AU - Zhang, Yunjue
AU - Verma, Swapna
AU - Chong, Siow Ann
PY - 2016/7/1
Y1 - 2016/7/1
N2 - Background: Psychotic symptoms are common among older adults and are seen in a wide range of conditions. Most studies examining the prevalence and correlates of psychotic symptoms among older adults have been conducted in Western populations. To address this gap the current study was undertaken to establish the prevalence and correlates of psychotic symptoms and paranoid ideation within a community sample of older adults without dementia in an Asian population. Methods: The Well-being of the Singapore Elderly (WiSE) study was a comprehensive single phase, cross-sectional survey. All respondents were assessed using the Geriatric Mental State examination (GMS). Specific questions of the GMS were then used to establish the prevalence of hallucinations and persecutory delusions. Results: A total of 2,565 respondents completed the study giving a response rate of 65.6%. The prevalence of any psychotic symptoms in this population of older adults was 5.2%. The odds of hallucinations and any psychotic symptoms were significantly higher among those of Malay ethnicity, and those who had no formal education. Older adults aged 75-84 years were significantly associated with lower odds of having hallucinations (vs. older adult aged 60-74 years), while homemaker status was significantly associated with lower odds of having any psychotic symptoms. Conclusions: The prevalence of psychotic symptoms among older Asian adults without dementia was higher than that reported from Western countries. Psychotic symptoms were associated with Malay ethnicity, poor cognitive performance and fewer years of schooling, visual and hearing impairment as well as depression and irritability.
AB - Background: Psychotic symptoms are common among older adults and are seen in a wide range of conditions. Most studies examining the prevalence and correlates of psychotic symptoms among older adults have been conducted in Western populations. To address this gap the current study was undertaken to establish the prevalence and correlates of psychotic symptoms and paranoid ideation within a community sample of older adults without dementia in an Asian population. Methods: The Well-being of the Singapore Elderly (WiSE) study was a comprehensive single phase, cross-sectional survey. All respondents were assessed using the Geriatric Mental State examination (GMS). Specific questions of the GMS were then used to establish the prevalence of hallucinations and persecutory delusions. Results: A total of 2,565 respondents completed the study giving a response rate of 65.6%. The prevalence of any psychotic symptoms in this population of older adults was 5.2%. The odds of hallucinations and any psychotic symptoms were significantly higher among those of Malay ethnicity, and those who had no formal education. Older adults aged 75-84 years were significantly associated with lower odds of having hallucinations (vs. older adult aged 60-74 years), while homemaker status was significantly associated with lower odds of having any psychotic symptoms. Conclusions: The prevalence of psychotic symptoms among older Asian adults without dementia was higher than that reported from Western countries. Psychotic symptoms were associated with Malay ethnicity, poor cognitive performance and fewer years of schooling, visual and hearing impairment as well as depression and irritability.
KW - Asian
KW - delusions
KW - geriatric mental state examination
KW - hallucinations
KW - psychosis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84961198248&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1017/S1041610216000399
DO - 10.1017/S1041610216000399
M3 - Article
C2 - 26972508
AN - SCOPUS:84961198248
VL - 28
SP - 1211
EP - 1220
JO - International Psychogeriatrics
JF - International Psychogeriatrics
SN - 1041-6102
IS - 7
ER -