Studies have demonstrated the high prevalence of depressive disorders amongst elderly people and their underestimation and mistreatment.

The aim of this study is to describe epidemiological issues in a sample of elderly hospitalized patients, giving special attention on the prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders and the detection of potential risk factors.

The sample included 168 elderly patients referred for the geriatric unit of a general hospital. Epidemiological and clinical data were collected. Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Functional Independence Measure (FIM™) were used. Data were analyzed with XLSTAT program.

The 39% of the sample were men and the 61% women, with an age range between 65 and 95 years. Nine percent of patients aged 65–84 had a diagnosis of depressive or anxious-depressive disorder, compared to 13% within the age range 85–95. However, 14% of patients aged 65–85 had a GDS higher than 5 and 19% for the patients aged 85–95, which could confirm the underestimated rate of depression diagnosed in elderly patients. Item “feeling loneliness” was pointed out in 75% and item “feeling bored” in 64% of all GDS higher than 5. Prevalence of dementia was 8% in the whole sample.

High prevalence of depressive and anxious disorders amongst the elderly is to be taken in account. Potential risk factors could be loneliness and lack of daily activity. The development of social primary prevention interventions in order to decrease the prevalence of these pathologies amongst elderly is needed.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.