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Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 6:335-339, November 1998
© 1998 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry

Brief Report

Past Utilization of Geriatric Psychiatry Outpatient Services by a Cohort of Patients With Major Depression

Peter M. Aupperle, M.D., M.P.H., Rebecca Lifchus, B.A., and Andrew C. Coyne, Ph.D.

Received September 3, 1997; accepted February 9, 1998. From the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, New Jersey. Address correspondence to Dr. Aupperle, COPSA Institute, UMDNJ–UBHC, 667 Hoes Lane, P.O. Box 1392, Piscataway, NJ 08855-1392.

The authors examined past utilization of outpatient psychiatric services by elderly depressed patients. A chart review identified 49 patients (mean age=69.4) who had ceased active treatment, of whom 28 were successfully contacted. Reasons for discontinuation were 1) patient perception that care was no longer needed (51.5%); 2) existence of barriers to care (33.3%); and 3) perception that treatment was ineffective (15.2%). Findings included 1) a higher number of visits by patients referred from a non-healthcare source and by married patients; 2) lower Beck Depression Inventory scores among those who reported that they did not need additional treatment; and 3) a greater willingness to re-engage in treatment by those patients with a higher number of visits during their previous treatment. Patient characteristics and source of referral were associated with both past service utilization and likelihood of future usage; however, many individuals do not access treatment because of both practical and attitudinal barriers to care.

Key Words: geriatric depression • outpatient treatment • healthcare utilization






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