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Information Leading to Accurate Diagnosis in the Elderly

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

John M. Kellett ,
John R. M. Copeland  and
Michael J. Kelleher
John M. Kellett
Affiliation:
St. George's Hospital, Clare House, Blackshaw Road, London, S.W. 17
John R. M. Copeland
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, Denmark Hill, London, S.E.5
Michael J. Kelleher
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, Denmark Hill, London, S.E.5
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Summary

Psychiatric diagnosis in the elderly has been examined in order to extract the information which leads to later modification of the diagnosis. Initial diagnoses of neuroses and toxic states were least stable, 14 out of 29 changing to a different category. Information from relatives and further interviews contributed most to the modification of the initial diagnosis, though affective and neurotic syndromes were particularly susceptible to change resulting from conceptual differences, and dementia to change consequent on physical examination.

It is concluded that an adequate initial interview of a patient and his next of kin will achieve a diagnosiswhich iscorrectin itsmajor categoryon 95 per cent ofoccasions.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 126 , Issue 5 , May 1975 , pp. 423 - 430
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1975 

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