It is estimated that only a fraction among the elderly receive mental health care and large proportion of them default the treatment.

The objective of this study recently published in The Internet Journal of Geriatrics and Gerontology was to determine the risk of defaulting depression treatment among the elderly patients who have negative perception and poor awareness of their illness.

Methodology: this case control study using two controls in four major hospitals in northern Malaysia was conducted among elderly depressed patients who had defaulted treatment.Results: having an opinion of no family support (OR=6), having a perception that the family members do not think they have the illness (OR=3), negative perception (OR=10) and poor awareness of illness (OR=5) were found to be risk factors to defaulting depression treatment among the elderly

Conclusion: these modifiable risk factors can be remedied by involving the patient and family members in the patient’s treatment plan.

The full article can be accessed through the link below:

Negative perception and Poor Awareness as Risk Factors to the Default  Depression Treatment Among the Elderly – A Case Control Study