The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence of hearing loss (HL), vision loss (VL), and dual sensory loss (DSL) in Canadians 45–85 years of age. Audiometry and visual acuity were measured. Various levels of impairment severity were described. Results were extrapolated to the 2016 Canadian population. In 2016, 1,500,000 Canadian males 45–85 years of age had at least mild HL, 1,800,000 had at least mild VL, and 570,000 had DSL. Among females, 1,200,000 had at least mild HL, 2,200,000 had at least mild VL, and 450,000 had DSL. Among Canadians 45–85 years of age, mild, moderate, and severe HL was prevalent among 13.4 per cent, 3.7 per cent, and 0.4 per cent of males, and among 11.3 per cent, 2.3 per cent, and 0.2 per cent of females, respectively. Mild and moderate, or severe VL was prevalent among 19.8 per cent and 2.4 per cent of males, and among 23.9 per cent and 2.6 per cent of females, respectively. At least mild DSL was prevalent among 6.4 per cent of males and 6.1 per cent of females.

La prévalence sur l’année en France du jeu de hasard et d’argent en ligne en population adulte est de l’ordre 3,7 % (Tovar et al., 2013). Se basant sur l’Indice canadien du Jeu Excessif (ICJE) (Ferris et Wynne, 2001) pour l’évaluation des pratiques de jeu, la proportion de joueurs « problématiques » parmi les joueurs dans l’année s’élève à 17 % (Tovar et al., 2013). Ces chiffres sont nettement supérieurs à ceux retrouvés avec l’offre de jeu traditionnelle, majoritairement non-en ligne : 10,8 % de joueurs problématiques parmi les joueurs actifs, c.-à-d., ceux ayant joué plus d’une fois par semaine et/ou dépensé plus de 500 euros dans l’année (Costes et al., 2011). Des résultats comparables ont été retrouvés dans d’autres pays évoquant un niveau de risque plus élevé des jeux sur internet par rapport à l’ensemble des jeux (Tovar et al., 2013). Cela peut être en rapport avec des éléments socio-démographiques ou cliniques associés aux pratiques de jeux en ligne (Kairouz et al., 2011). Des facteurs en rapport avec la pratique du jeu en ligne peuvent intervenir : l’anonymat, l’accessibilité, le côté abordable de ces conduites, ainsi que les caractéristiques structurelles mêmes des jeux (Griffiths, 2003). Nous nous proposons dans ce travail de faire une revue systématique de la littérature sur les bases Medline et PsycINFO au sujet des facteurs de risque et facteurs associés au jeu problématique ou pathologique et de discuter les résultats retrouvés.

Elder abuse is an important public health and human rights issue, yet its true extent is not well understood. To address this, we will conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of elder abuse prevalence studies from around the world. This protocol describes the methodological approach to be adopted for conducting this systematic review and meta-analysis. In particular, the protocol describes the search strategies and eligibility criteria to be used to identify and select studies and how data from the selected studies will be extracted for analysis. The protocol also describes the analytical approach that will be used to calculate pooled prevalence estimates and discusses the use of meta-regression to assess how studies’ characteristics influence the prevalence estimates. This protocol conforms to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis – or PRISMA – guidelines and has been registered with the PROSPERO International Prospective Register of systematic reviews.

The objective of this research is to determine the prevalence and risk factors for primary hypothyroidism in a sample of Canadian seniors. The Canadian Study of Health and Aging (CSHA) was a prevalence survey of seniors living at home and in long-term care facilities (n = 10,263). Detailed clinical examinations were conducted on 2,914 seniors, of which 1,415 had serum TSH levels measured.The ten Canadian Provinces were grouped into five geographic regions (Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, Prairies and British Columbia). Only seniors who underwent detailed clinical examinations (n = 2,914) are included. Hypothyroidism was defined as seniors taking thyroid hormone replacement or seniors having a serum TSH level greater than 10 mU/L. An estimated 9.6 per cent of seniors had hypothyroidism, 5.1 per cent were inadequately treated and 2.1 per cent were untreated. Age, gender, cultural background, geographic region and place of residence were potential risk factors for hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism was found to be a prevalent problem in this population.

A census was taken on 26 long-term care facilities in the Ottawa-Carleton Region comprising 3, 825 residents to estimate the point prevalence of cognitive impairment or dementia. Nurses familiar with the residents identified those who had either memory impairment or dementia (according to DSM III criteria). A validation of the data obtained through the census was carried out on a stratified, random sample of residents. The long-term care facilities were stratified by level of care and by size. From each of the three strata, 11 facilities were randomly selected then a 10 per cent random sample with replacement (411 residents) was determined. The validation survey consisted of interviewing residents using two screening instruments, interviewing the nurse using two behavioural instruments and a chart audit. On the census the prevalence for cognitive impairment in the surveyed group was 67 per cent compared to 61 per cent for the whole resident population. The sensitivity and specificity for cognitive impairment was calculated at 84 and 70 per cent respectively. The prevalence of dementia in the surveyed group was 61 per cent compared to a census estimate of 52 per cent for the whole resident population. The overall sensitivity of the census for dementia was 95 per cent and the specificity was 83 per cent. The results indicated that a census undertaken with standardized definitions, by knowledgeable staff directly involved with patient care is a reasonably effective method for estimating the prevalence of persons with dementia in long-term care facilities.

To understand the impact of ongoing reform of mental health and dementia care in Ontario, an examination of prevalence and health services utilization rates is needed. However, there exists a gap in current prevalence and health services research specific to dementia care in Ontario. The objective of this study was to address these concerns using linked administrative databases to determine the incremental use of health services by elderly Ontarians with dementia. Overall, study results demonstrated that individuals with dementia used services in a pattern similar to non-demented persons, albeit at a higher level. Exceptions were women's use of hospital and home care services, where the most elderly women received significantly fewer services. Thus, the study provided important insight regarding the relative levels of health services used by demented Ontarians. Research in this area will become increasingly important as the population ages and the settings integral to dementia care and management shift and evolve.

Preliminary results of an epidemiological study in the general population of a small town near Paris are presented. This study investigates the prevalence of depressive and anxiety states and the risk factors associated with these disorders. The study methodology is reported in detail, especially the instruments chosen (some sections of the DIS/CIDI, questionnaires on social support, life events and self-rating questionnaires). Anxiety and depressive disorders are frequent in this population: life-time prevalence of Panic Disorder in men amounted to 2.3% and in women 3.1%, Generalised Anxiety Disorder in men 5.4% and in women 13.4%, Major Depressive Episode in men 8.5% and in women 21.9%. Panic Disorder is assessed with regard to different definitions and criteria (DSM III, DSM III-R). A wide difference in results is found according to the criteria used. Specifically, when anticipatory anxiety is taken into account, this increases the frequency rate of Panic Disorder. A significant comorbidity is found between anxiety and depressive disorders.

This paper examines aspects of the epidemiology of affective disorders in Scotland. Results from 3 investigations are described, each one indicative of a particular research approach (the use of national, case-register and direct-interview based data). In Part I of the paper secular trends in Scottish national and local (Edinburgh city) first admission rates of affective disorders, based upon ICD-9, are examined. The results, based upon the national data, show that during the last two decades the male admission rate declined by 29.4% and the female rate by 37.3%. However, the female rate has remained 1.8 to 2.2-fold that of the male rate throughout this period. Further investigation of these changes was undertaken after dividing the affective disorder category into either the “affective psychoses” or the “depressive neuroses”. Results revealed that whilst there was only a slight change in the Scottish national rate of affective psychoses, marked decreases in rates were revealed for the depressive neuroses for both sexes (males by 39.4% and females by 39.3%). Age-specific secular trends also demonstrated the extent to which the older age groups of both sexes experienced the highest rates of affective psychoses.

Results based upon first admissions for affective disorder to the Royal Edinburgh Hospital over the years 1976-1987 showed that the overall male rate had remained relatively unchanged, whilst that for females had declined by about 24%. Subsequent analysis showed that the rates for affective psychoses had declined over the 12 years to a level which for the females was close to the national rate but that the male rate for these conditions had remained (in 1985) at 70% above the Scottish national rate.

Part II of this paper presents results from two further studies concerned with investigating rates of affective disorder amongst women. The first of these was a general population survey of a random sample, the second a hospital study. Both studies were designed to be complementary, in that each was based upon samples of women living in the same geographical area of Edinburgh city. Results revealed that the hospital prevalence estimate for affective disorders was only about 1% of the community estimate, but over 5% of the community inception rate. Analyses examining the demographic correlates of affective disorders revealed the extent to which age and marital status differentially determined the ease with which women entered hospital care. Results revealed that being single and of older age was associated with an increased chance of receiving treatment for women with affective disorders.

The small population of an island with very low rates of emigration and immigration creates a fairly unique situation for epidemiological research. This has set the trend for research in psychiatry as well as in other branches of medicine. A few ongoing studies are reviewed briefly.

A longitudinal study of a birth cohort of 5,395 probands has made it possible to estimate disease expectancy, incidence, and prevalence at different age levels. The probands still alive have reached the average age of 87 years. One half of the probands has been assigned a psychiatric diagnosis during their lifetime. The prevalence of mental disorders increases from 24% at the average age of 61 years to 40% at the average age of 87 years. The increase is caused mainly by a steeply rising prevalence of organic brain syndromes with advancing age and to a lesser extent by a rise in the prevalence of affective syndromes until the age of 75 years. The incidence of new depressive episodes increases markedly after the age of 60 years in contrast to the incidence of new manic episodes, which remains at the same level as it does until that age. An attempt is made to separate different depressive syndromes among the aged. The mortality of probands with mental disorders, especially those with organic brain syndromes and alcoholism, is increased in comparison with those without such disorders.

A random sample of the population aged 20-49 years in 1974 has been surveyed three times during a period of 10 years in order to study changes in alcohol consumption and alcohol abuse as well as in the prevalence of mental illness. A study of the consumption of general health services by psychiatric patients and reports on the attendances at psychiatric walk-in clinics and their affects on the general practitioners image of psychiatric services are mentioned.

In recent years there has been a great expansion in the treatment facilities for alcoholism. This has resulted in a very marked increase in the admission rates to in-patient treatment for alcohol abuse in spite of no increase in the average per capita alcohol consumption in Iceland, which is the lowest in Europe.

Finally an ongoing study of prescription for psychotropic drugs is referred to briefly.