Attitudes of psychiatrists toward elderly patients
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TL;DR
Analysis of psychiatrists' responses indicated that these psychiatrists regarded older patients as less ideal for their practices than younger patients with identical symptoms, and their treatment plans for them were less likely to emphasize psychotherapy.
Abstract
A group of 179 psychiatrists responded to a questionnaire requesting their opinions concerning four clinical vignettes. Analysis of their responses indicated that these psychiatrists, at a highly statistically significant level, regarded older patients as less ideal for their practices than younger patients with identical symptoms. The respondents viewed the older patients as having a poorer prognosis, and their treatment plans for them were less likely to emphasize psychotherapy. In general, there was a negative correlation between the age of the respondent psychiatrists and their estimate of the "idealness" of and favorable prognosis for older patients.