RT - Journal TY - JOUR A1 - Shawky, Mohamed A1 - Ibrahim, Ibtihal A1 - El-Sheshtawy, Eman A1 - Elsayed, Mohamed A1 - El-Hadidy, Mohamed T1 - Patterns of psychiatric symptoms in geriatric persons living in care homes YR - 2017/9/1 JF - Egyptian Journal of Psychiatry JO - Egypt J Psychiatr SP - 154 OP - 158 VO - 38 IS - 3 UL - https://new.ejpsy.eg.net//article.asp?issn=1110-1105;year=2017;volume=38;issue=3;spage=154;epage=158;aulast=Shawky;t=5 DO - 10.4103/ejpsy.ejpsy_15_17 N2 - Background The aging population possesses sociological problems that are usually associated with medical problems. Elderly persons ‘living in old age homes’ are expanding in numbers; are people in such settings prone to psychological stress rather than those living in community? Aim To assess the extent of mental illness in old age group living in care homes, and to determine the level of social support. Participants and methods A case–control study was conducted on 116 elderly individuals, who were divided into two groups − group A included 56 individuals living in old-age homes, and group B included 60 individuals living with their families (control group). All of them were subjected to the following: assessment of sociodemographic status and clinical diagnoses using the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders scale, the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Results There was no significant statistical differences between both groups regarding the presence of a possible psychiatric disorder (P<0.05). In the case group, we found significant differences for factor neurotic (t=2.894), factor positive (t=4.633), and factor negative (t=8.893) compared with the control group. Conclusion Special care should be provided for the elderly living in old-age homes as they are more prone to psychiatric illnesses and have a higher risk for depression, less social support, and more severe isolated psychiatric symptoms. ER -