Background – Geriatric  patients suffer from many physical disorders but no research work has

been done regarding severity of  psychiatric disorders amongst geriatric patients having  medical

disorders.

Objective  – The aims of this study were to know types and severity of mental disorders in

geriatric patients .

Method – The DSM  IV –TR  criterion were used for diagnosis . For assessment of severity of 

common mental  disorders following scales likes GDS, HAM–A, PANSS, YMRS, Y– BOCS, 

and  BLS– D   were used.

Results – In group A,  paranoid schizophrenia was the commonest mental disorder and  

majority of them have moderate severity.

In group B  depressive type of mood disorder due to general medical conditions was the

commonest mental disorder and majority of patients had  moderate severity. The study further

shows that geriatric patients with physical disorder were more depressed  than those

geropsychiatric patients who had only depressive disorders.

Interpretations and conclusions– The study shows that geriatric patients with  physical

disorders were more at risk of consequences of depression like self harm or suicide .