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Differences in Clinical Features and Mental Health Service Use in Bipolar Disorder Across the Lifespan

Received October 14, 2004; revised January 18, 2005; accepted January 21, 2005. From the Dept. of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego (CAD, LAL, DPF, RLH, DVJ), the VA San Diego Health Care System (LAL, DVJ), the Dept. of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California, San Diego (TG), the Dept. of Sociology, San Diego State University (RLH), the Depts. of Psychiatry and Family & Community Medicine, University of New Mexico (RLH), and the San Diego County Mental Health System (PG). Send correspondence and reprint requests to Colin A. Depp, Ph.D., Advanced Center for Interventions and Services Research, University of California, San Diego, VA San Diego Healthcare System, 9500 Gilman Dr., (0603V), San Diego, CA 92093-0603. e-mail: cdepp{at}ucsd.edu
© 2005 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry

Objective: Because of the scarcity of research in geriatric bipolar disorder, the authors examined the prevalence, clinical features, and service use of persons with bipolar disorder among older adults treated in a large public mental health system. Methods: From San Diego County’s Adult and Older-Adult Mental Health Services database (N=34,970, fiscal year 2002–2003), the authors selected patients with bipolar disorder, divided them into three age-groups (young: age 18–39, middle-aged: age 40–59, and elderly: age 60+) and compared them on demographic, clinical, and mental health service use characteristics. Results: The authors identified 2,903 patients who received services for bipolar disorder at least once during the fiscal year, accounting for a slightly lower proportion of diagnosis among elderly patients (7.0%) than middle-aged (8.7%) or younger groups (8.3%). Elderly patients were less likely to have substance use disorder comorbidity, but more likely to have a cognitive disorder diagnosis and lower global functioning scores than their younger counterparts. Elderly bipolar patients were less likely than younger groups to use inpatient, outpatient, and emergency room psychiatric care, but more likely to use case-management and conservator services. Discussion: Bipolar disorder was only slightly less common among elderly patients in a large, public mental health system, compared to younger age-groups. Available clinical data revealed a mixed picture of bipolar disorder in late life, with more functional and cognitive impairment and less substance use disorder comorbidity and use of acute psychiatric services. Our findings suggest that older adults with bipolar disorder have unique mental health service needs.

Key Words: Bipolar Disorder • Service Utilization

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