An epidemiological profile of bipolar disorder among older adults with complex needs: A national cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Research on bipolar disorder (BD) among community-living older adults is scant and often suffers from important methodological limitations. Using a national database, this study presents an epidemiological profile of BD in older community residents within New Zealand.

METHODS: Since 2012, all New Zealand community care recipients have undergone a standardized needs assessment using the Home Care International Residential Assessment Instrument (interRAI-HC). The interRAI-HC elicits information using 236 questions over 20 domains, including BD diagnosis. Those who were assessed between 1 September 2012 and 31 January 2016, who were aged ≥65 years, and who provided consent were included. Statistical investigations employed bivariable and multivariable logistic regression models.

RESULTS: Overall, 71 859 people were eligible; their average age was 82.7 years (range 65-105 years), with 43 802 (61.0%) being female and 798 (1.1%) having a BD diagnosis. Participants' sex, age and ethnic identification were significantly related to BD (all P<.001). Participants with a higher number of comorbidities had greater odds of BD; for those with at least six comorbidities, the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) was 2.32 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.37-3.92). Almost all considered social and environmental variables were significantly and detrimentally associated with BD, such as living in squalid conditions (2.7% for those with DB vs 1.1% for those without DB; AOR=1.60 [95% CI 1.06-2.42]).

CONCLUSIONS: BD among older adults is not uncommon, and numbers will increase as populations age. Increasingly, health services are moving to home-based integrated models of care. Clinicians and decision-makers need to be aware in their planning and service delivery that significant deficits in environment quality and exposure to stressful living circumstances remain for older adults with BD.