A STUDY OF PSYCHO-SOCIAL STRESSORS ADDING TO MENTAL ILLNESS IN PSYCHO-GERIATRIC PATIENTS

• Published in: Social science international Vol. 30; no. 1; p. 143
• Main Authors: Gupta, Anjali, Singh, Bhupendra, Agrawal, Avneesh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Delhi MD Publications Pvt Ltd 01.01.2014
• Subjects: Anxiety; Illnesses; Mental disorders; Older people; Stress
• ISSN: 0970-1087; 0976-3910

Older adults are more prone to stressors such as decreased income, family conflicts, lack of work and activity, feeling of boredom and loneliness, and physical illnesses. This may lead to decline in coping capacities and increase in psychiatric illnesses. This is a pilot study, based on a sample of 35 subjects in a community outreach program for psycho-geriatric patients in collaboration with Helpage India group (An NGO working for geriatric patients). The patients were diagnosed according to International Classification of Diseases on the basis of symptoms and history. The relationship with the psychosocial stressors with psychiatric illness were observed and analyzed. Psychosocial stressors were reported by 88.58% of the population. 42.85% reported family issues and conflicts, 37.14% reported illness to self and family members, 31.42% reported financial issues and 20% reported loneliness/isolation/neglect. Loneliness/isolation and neglect was significantly associated with insomnia, financial issues was significantly related with depression , while other stressors were significantly correlate with somatoform disorders. Family issues, conflicts, expressed hostility and aggression results in the lack of adequate emotional nurturance. Lack of family resources both emotional and financial may lead to psychiatric illness. All the family clashes may be the result of the attitude of the family members which could be changed with proper education and intervention.