Background: Except for dementia and depression, little is known about common mental disorders in elderly people.Aims: To estimate current, 12-month and lifetime prevalence rates of mental disorders in different European and associated countries using a standardised diagnostic interview adapted to measure the cognitive needs of elderly people.Method: The MentDis_ICF65+ study is based on an age-stratified, random sample of 3142 older men and women (65–84 years) living in selected catchment community areas of participating countries.Results: One in two individuals had experienced a mental disorder in their lifetime, one in three within the past year and nearly one in four currently had a mental disorder. The most prevalent disorders were anxiety disorders, followed by affective and substance-related disorders.Conclusions: Compared with previous studies we found substantially higher prevalence rates for most mental disorders. These findings underscore the need for improving diagnostic assessments adapted to the cognitive capacity of elderly people. There is a need to raise awareness of psychosocial problems in elderly people and to deliver high-quality mental health services to these individuals.

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a significant effect on our mental health. In this research, we aim to analyse gender-related differences in the psychological impact of the Covid-19 lockdown in Spain. A cross-sectional study was conducted through an online survey (n = 1041) with two measurements: at two and five weeks after the declaration of the state of emergency and stay-at-home order in Spain. The presence of depressive symptoms, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), perceived loneliness and spiritual well-being were evaluated. Linear mixed models with random slopes were calculated for each variable in the study in order to analyse the effect of longitudinal measures and interaction with gender. Women showed more symptoms of depression, anxiety and PTSD, more feelings of loneliness and less spiritual well-being compared to men. The psychological impact caused by the pandemic is maintained over time and increases for depression. Covid-19 appears to be having a greater psychological impact on women than men. More attention needs to be paid to this issue to establish the causes and reduce these differences.

Goals: The UCLA LS-R is the most extensively used scale to assess loneliness. However, few studies examine the scale's use on older individuals. The goal of the study is to analyse the suitability of the scale´s structure for assessing older individuals. Method: The UCLA LS-R scale was administered to a random sample of 409 community-dwelling residents of Madrid (53% women) aged 65–84 years (obtained from the MentDis_ICF65+ study). Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the factor structure of the UCLA LS-R. Results: The internal consistency of the scale obtained a Cronbach's alpha of .85. All the analysed models of factor structure of the UCLA LS-R achieved a fairly good fit and RMSEA values over .80. The models that best fit the empirical data are those of Hojat (1982) and Borges et al. (2008). Conclusion: The data suggest an equivalent effectiveness of UCLA LS-R in adults under 65 and over 65, which may indicate a similar structure of the loneliness construct in both populations. This outcome is consistent with the idea that loneliness has two dimensions: emotional loneliness and social loneliness. The use of short measures that are easy to apply and interpret should help primary care professionals identify loneliness problems in older individuals sooner and more accurately.

Loneliness is a risk factor for morbidity as well as mortality. Older people are more vulnerable to feeling alone due to age-associated changes and losses they might experience. This study aimed to analyze sociodemographic, psychosocial, and mental health variables related to loneliness in the elderly. A random sample of 419 people over 65 years old from the Community of Madrid was used. The UCLA Loneliness Scale, the CIDI65+ Diagnostic Interview, and the WHOQOL-BREF Quality of Life Measure were administered. A regression p model was estimated to identify the variables that best predict loneliness associated with old age. Loneliness-associated variables included living alone t(161.41) = 2.07; p < .040, marital status F(5, 404) = 4.52; p < .001, frequency of economic problems F(1, 408 ) = 4.86; p < .028, quality of life F(4, 405) = 7.36; p < .001, satisfaction with life F(4, 405) = 3.80; p < .005, satisfaction with social relationships F(4, 405) = 19.50; p < .001, presence of a mental disorder (t(98.70) = 2.92; p < .004), and having an anxiety disorder (t(51.11) = 2.19; p < .033). The results presented in this paper highlight some predictors of loneliness in older people that could be useful in intervention, to minimize harmful conditions that can lead to loneliness in people over 65.

The EU currently lacks reliable data on the prevalence and incidence of mental disorders in older people. Despite the availability of several national and international epidemiological studies, the size and burden of mental disorders in the elderly remain unclear due to various reasons. Therefore, the aims of the MentDis_ICF65+ study are (1) to adapt existing assessment instruments, and (2) to collect data on the prevalence, the incidence, and the natural course and prognosis of mental disorders in the elderly. Using a cross-sectional and prospective longitudinal design, this multi-centre study from six European countries and associated states (Germany, Great Britain, Israel, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland) is based on age-stratified, random samples of elderly people living in the community. The study program consists of three phases: (1) a methodological phase devoted primarily to the adaptation of age- and gender-specific assessment tools for older people (e.g., the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, CIDI) as well as psychometric evaluations including translation, back translation; (2) a baseline community study in all participating countries to assess the lifetime, 12 month and 1 month prevalence and comorbidity of mental disorders, including prior course, quality of life, health care utilization and helpseeking, impairments and participation and, (3) a 12 month follow-up of all baseline participants to monitor course and outcome as well as examine predictors. The study is an essential step forward towards the further development and improvement of harmonised instruments for the assessment of mental disorders as well as the evaluation of activity impairment and participation in older adults. This study will also facilitate the comparison of cross-cultural results. These results will have bearing on mental health care in the EU and will offer a starting point for necessary structural changes to be initiated for mental health care policy at the level of mental health care politics.