Psychosomatic Problems in Geriatric Medicine

Abstract

In order to study psychosomatic problems in geriatric medicine, data were gathered on outpatients who had presented themselves for treatment over the past ten years at the University of Tokyo.For a statistical comparison. the following factors were obtained from a personal/medical history card and the therapist who had treated the patient : 1. Age and sex 2. Diagnosis 3. Referral source 4. Duration of therapy 5. Rsults of psychological testing 6. Patient's mental state 7. Theerapy methodology 8. Prognosis The findings were summarized as follows : a. 3.57 percent of the outpatients studied were 65 years of age or older.b. Diagnostic composition of patients studied were : (1) 35% psychosomatic disease(2) 30% depressive state and depression(3) 18% neurosis with 74% hypochondriasis These findings were essentially the same as those of other researchers and established theory.c. Rank order of psychosomatic disorder prevalence : (1) Hypertension(2)Insomnia(3) Writer's cramp(4) NCA(5) Asthma(6) Headached. The majority of outpatients were referred from internal medicine.e. Many outpatients experienced only short therapeutic gains from treatment, but a "good" prognosis (therapeutic gain of a period in excess of 1 year) was obtained in 77% of the outpatients studied.f. No differences were found between elderly males and outpatients in general in CMI data, but the YG test revealed more E-types among the elderly males.g. Treatment recerved by the patients studied was as follows : (1) 100% of the patients received brief psychotherapy.(2) 76% of the patients received drug therapy.(3) 33% of the patients received autogenic training.h. In drug therapy, the following were prescribed : (1) 50% of the patients received minor tranquilizers.(2) 50% of hte patients received antidepressants.(3) 30% of the patients received hypnotics.