Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Williamson, Victoria
• Stevelink, Sharon A.M.
• Greenberg, Karla
• Greenberg, Neil

Titel

Prevalence of Mental Health Disorders in Elderly U.S. Military Veterans: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review

Ist Teil von

• The American journal of geriatric psychiatry, 2018-05, Vol.26 (5), p.534-545

Ort / Verlag

England: Elsevier Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

2018

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• •These results further our understanding of the prevalence of mental health problems in older veterans.•High prevalence rates of substance and alcohol use disorders in older veterans were found.•Future studies with non-U.S. military samples using longitudinal design are needed to further understand the prevalence of mental health disorders in geriatric veterans. Older veterans may be vulnerable to mental health problems. Meta-analytic and systematic review methods sought to determine the prevalence rate of mental health disorders in older military veterans (≥65 years). Eleven studies were eligible, and meta-analyses of veteran depression, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, dementia, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia were conducted. Although conducted exclusively with U.S. veterans, high prevalence rates of substance (5.7%) and alcohol use disorders (5.4%) in older veterans were found. However, the prevalence of other mental health disorders, including PTSD and depression, in older veterans was not markedly high. The rates of disorder prevalence observed indicates a need for continued awareness of mental health difficulties, particularly substance and alcohol use disorders, in older veterans. In the future studies with non-U.S. military samples using a longitudinal design are required to further understand the prevalence of mental health disorders in geriatric veterans.