Ageing and mental health resources for older persons in the African region of the World Health Organization

RESUMO

Africa is a region where a demographic transition from high child mortality and low life expectancy; to low child mortality and high life expectancy is only just beginning.Nevertheless; some countries already have a growing number of persons over the age of 60 - a number that is likely to increase rapidly. As a consequence; the number of older persons with mental disorders is likely to increase. To better understand the organisation of care for older persons; data are being collected to reduce the imbalance between 'disease information' and 'resource information' - information that addresses older persons' needs in terms of mental health care.This review presents some results from the continent. Mental health problems among older adults are still not a public health priority in Africa; but careful examination of each country nevertheless reveals certain specificities; such as divergent life expectancy and different values regarding ageing. The authors present some recommendations for the development of carefor old persons with mental disorders; based on the general recommendations made by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the World Health Report 2001 (WHR 2001); and by the WHO and the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) in some consensus statements on psychiatry of the elderly