Psychotic symptoms are a major source of morbidity in the elderly.

We conducted a study to determine their prevalence and correlates in search of plausible risk factors/prevention.

Determine those objectives in a representative sample of non-demented community-dwelling elderly at the province of Granada, Spain.

A cross-sectional study was performed in a 562 participants sample, aged 60–84 years, without dementia. We determined psychotic symptoms prevalence (SCID-I), quality of life (WHOQOL-OLD), subjective body complaints (GBB-24), perceived social support (MSPSS), anxious-depressive symptoms (HADS) and medication use with validated instruments.

Prevalences: Any psychotic symptom 13%, delusions 11.4% and either auditory or visual hallucinations 5,5%. Both delusions and hallucinations 3.9%.

Women had more psychotic symptoms. Psychotic symptoms correlated negatively with lower quality of life scores (p < 0.002). Psychotic symptoms correlates positively with higher scores in GBB-24 (p < 0.05), depression subscale (p < 0.02) and increased use of drugs (p < 0.024). Delusions correlated positively with higher anxiety subscale scores(p < 0.046).

This is the first specific study developed in a Spanish representative population.

The prevalence of non-demented community-dwelling individuals is slightly higher than expected if compared with other non-demented community-dwelling Europeans. That may be due to hardship conditions in current Spanish elderly up-bringing and over-estimation by SCID instrument which is not specifically designed for elderly subjects.

Psychotic symptoms are associated with female sex, poorer quality of life, higher subjective somatic complaints, medication use and higher anxiety and depression scores.

We thank all the ABUEL STUDY GROUP for their collaboration.