Centre for Policy on Ageing



Psychiatric disorders among the homeless — a comparison of older and younger groups
Author(s)	Diane DeMallie, Carol S North, Elizabeth M Smith
Journal title	The Gerontologist, vol 37, no 1, February 1997
Pages	pp 61-66
Keywords	Homelessness ; Age groups [elderly] ; Mental disorder ; Alcoholism ; Drug taking ; Comparison ; United States of America.
Annotation	This study identifies differences between older and younger homeless subgroups, by interviews with 900 homeless persons using the US National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule, and DSM-III-R diagnoses. 13% of men and 3% of women were in the older group (age 50 or more). Compared with their younger counterparts, older subjects were more likely to be male and white, to report lower incomes and poorer health, and to meet criteria for lifetime alcohol-use disorder. Fewer older than younger subjects met criteria for lifetime drug use disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These findings suggest that older and younger individuals have different vulnerabilities to homelessness.
Accession Number	CPA-970702009 A
Classmark	K4A: BB: E: ETA: ETD: 48: 7T
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing

...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.