Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T05:29:08.552Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Prevalence of dementia and depression among elderly people in Black and ethnic minorities

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2018

C. F. M. McCracken ,
M. A. Boneham ,
J. R. M. Copeland ,
K. E. Williams ,
K. Wilson ,
A. Scott ,
P. McKibbin  and
N. Cleave
C. F. M. McCracken*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Liverpool
M. A. Boneham
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Liverpool
J. R. M. Copeland
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Liverpool
K. E. Williams
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Liverpool
K. Wilson
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Liverpool
A. Scott
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Liverpool
P. McKibbin
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Liverpool
N. Cleave
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Liverpool
*
C. F. M. McCracken, Department of Psychiatry, University of Liverpool, University Clinical Departments, Duncan Building, Liverpool L69 3GA
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background

This study was designed to identify all elderly people of ethnic minorities living in a defined geographical area in inner-city Liverpool and to identify psychiatric morbidity and barriers to use of services. This paper reports the prevalence of dementia and depression.

Method

A survey of the community was carried out using the Geriatric Mental State Examination, AGECAT and ethnically matched interviewers. The sampling frame consisted of Family Health Services Authority lists as a basis, with additional information from community lists, ‘snow-balling’ and a door-to-door survey.

Results

418 people were interviewed, with a high percentage (55%) of young elderly (65–74) men. The prevalence of dementia ranged from 2 to 9% and of depression from 5 to 19%, and there were no significant differences in levels between English-speaking ethnic groups and the indigenous population. Higher levels of dementia were found among non-English-speaking groups.

Conclusions

A complete enumeration of the elderly in ethnic minority groups is best achieved by using several different methods. Diagnosis of dementia may be misleading among those who do not speak the dominant language.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 171 , Issue 3 , September 1997 , pp. 269 - 273
Copyright
Copyright © 1997 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abas, M. (1996) Depression and anxiety among older Caribbean people in the UK: screening, unmet need and the provision of appropriate services. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 11, 377–382.3.0.CO;2-0>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ames, D., Ashby, D., Flicker, L., et al (1992) Jim who? Recall of national leaders by elderly people in three countries. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 7, 437–442.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Azuoyme, I. (1994) Ethnicity revolves around culture. British Medical Journal, 309, 959.Google Scholar
Baker, F. (1992) Ethnic minority elders: a mental health research agenda. Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 43, 337–340.Google Scholar
Blakemore, K. & Boneham, M. (1994) Age, Race and Ethnicity. Milton Keynes: Open University.Google Scholar
Boneham, M. A., Williams, K. E., Copeland, J. R. M., et al (1997) Ethnic minority elderly in Liverpool: mental illness, unmet need and barriers to service use. Health and Social Care in the Community, in press.Google Scholar
Bowling, A., Hart, H. & Silman, A. (1989) Accuracy of electoral registers and family practitioner committee lists for population studies of the very elderly. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 43, 391–394.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brownlie, J. (1991) A Hidden Problem? Dementia Amongst Minority Ethnic Groups. University of Stirling: Dementia Services Centre.Google Scholar
Copeland, J. R. M., Dewey, M. E., Henderson, A. S., et al (1988) The Geriatric Mental State (GMS) used in the community: replication studies of the computerised diagnosis AGECAT. Psychological Medicine, 18, 219–223.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Copeland, J. R. M., Davidson, I., Dewey, M. E., et al (1992) Alzheimer's disease, other dementias, depression and pseudodementia: prevalence, incidence and three year outcome in Liverpool. British Journal of Psychiatry, 161, 230–239.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kua, E. H. (1992) A community study of mental disorders in elderly Singaporean Chinese using the GMS-AGECAT Package. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 25, 502–506.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kyffin, R. (1992) Educational Attainment. Family Size and Race. Liverpool: Equal Opportunities Initiative.Google Scholar
Liverpool Healthy City (1995) Draft City Health Plan for Liverpool. Liverpool: Liverpool City Council.Google Scholar
Livingston, G., Hawkins, A., Graham, N., et al (1990) The Gospel Oak study: prevalence rates of dementia, depression and activity limitation among elderly residents in inner London. Psychological Medicine, 20, 137–146.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Manthorpe, J. & Hettiaratchy, P. (1993) Ethnic minority elders in the UK. International Review of Psychiatry, 5, 171–178.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) (1992) 1991 Census Merseyside. London: HMSO.Google Scholar
Richards, M., Brayne, C., Forde, C., et al (1996) Surveying African Caribbean elders in the community: implications for research on health and health service use. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 11, 41–45.3.0.CO;2-A>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ritch, A. E. S., Ehtisham, M., Guthrie, S., et al (1996) Ethnic influence on health and dependency of elderly inner city residents. Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of London, 30, 215–220.Google ScholarPubMed
Saunders, P. A., Copeland, J. R. M., Dewey, M., et al (1993) The prevalence of dementia, depression and neurosis in later life: the Liverpool MRC-ALPHA study. International Journal of Epidemiology, 22, 838–847.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Torkington, P. (1991) Black Health: A Political Issue. Liverpool: Catholic Association for Racial Justice.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.