Comorbid Physical and Psychiatric Disorders among Elderly Patients: A Study at an Outpatient Clinic in Saudi Arabia

Background: Increasing longevity and population aging are being accompanied by a higher prevalence of dementia, depression and other psychiatric disorders. However, psychiatric research among the elderly population in the Gulf region is relatively scant. Aims: This cross sectional study aimed to explore the demographic characteristics, physical comorbidities and the psychiatric profile of 412 patients, aged 60 years and over, attending the outpatient clinics at a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia. Method: Older subjects and/or their caregivers were interviewed to collect demographic data followed by administration of the Structured Clinical Interview for psychiatric diagnoses, which is based on the DSM-IV. Physical comorbidities and their characteristics were recorded onto a data compilation form after thorough review of the patients available health records. Results: Of the included sample, 63.8% had at least one medical comorbid condition; hypertension, diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease were the leading medical comorbid disorders found. Also, 31.6% were found to have at least one neurological comorbid condition; seizures, neuropathic pains and Parkinsonism were the most frequently reported. Thirty-three percent of the sample had at least one psychiatric disorder. The commonest identified disorders were anxiety disorders (31.3%), dementia (29.6%) and depressive disorders (26.3%). Conclusion: Both physical and psychiatric disorders are frequently encountered and interrelated among older patients attending tertiary care facilities. Of particular concern was anxiety which was the most prevalent type of psychiatric disorder. Clinicians should be particularly vigilant about anxiety disorders in addition to other common psychiatric disorders in the elderly such as depression and dementia.