Elderly depressed patients: What are their views on treatment options?

Authors: Kuruvilla, T.¹; Fenwick, C. D.²; Haque, M. S.¹; Vassilas, C. A.³

Source: Aging and Mental Health, Volume 10, Number 2, March 2006 , pp. 204-206(3)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

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Abstract:

The aim of this study was to explore attitudes of elderly patients with depression receiving secondary psychiatric care towards different types of treatment for depression. One hundred patients, recruited from a large teaching hospital in Birmingham, were subjected to structured interviews at which their attitudes towards the effectiveness, likelihood of causing side-effects and acceptability of anti-depressant medication, ECT and psychotherapy were measured on a five-point Likert scale. Psychotherapy was considered both effective and acceptable by our patients although it is not widely available across the UK. Anti-depressants were also considered to be effective and acceptable although likely to cause side-effects. However, our patients did not think highly of ECT, either in its effectiveness or acceptability.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13607860500310633

Affiliations: 1: Department of Psychiatry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK 2: Whytemans Brae Hospital, Kirkcaldy, Fife, UK 3: Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital, Mindelsohn Way, Birmingham, UK

Publication date: 2006-03-01

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