老年人的預防精神醫學：新加坡大學老年醫學課題組對華人老年人憂鬱和失智症的研究報告

Preventive Psychiatry in Late Life: Studies on Depression and Dementia from the Singapore Gerontology Research Program

本綜說介紹了新加坡國立大學楊潞齡醫學院老年醫學課題組，對新加坡華人老年人憂鬱 和失智症的研究工作及其結果。衛生政策依賴於實證研究，需要鼓及參考預防精神病學的研 究報告。心理－－社會學方面治療、飲食以及穩定糖尿病和高血壓等慢性疾病的最新策略，是 值得用來降低老年憂鬱和失智症的患病率。挑戰在於怎樣把研究成果轉化為公共政策。預防 精神病學不應僅僅依靠政府所為，而應同時集合私人和非政府團體的努力及資源。如果這樣 多方攜手共同努力，相信本世紀老年人憂鬱和失智症肆虐的趨勢，可以扭轉或阻止。

This overview summarizes the research results on depression and dementia in ethnic Chinese elderly conducted by the Gerontology Research Programme of the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore. Health poli- cies are dependent on information of evidence-based studies and it is of utmost importance to encourage research on preventive psychiatry. Interventional strate- gies in psycho-social therapy, diet and stability of chronic illnesses like diabetes mellitus and hypertension, are critical in lowering the rates of depression and de- mentia in late life. The challenge is how to translate research results into public policies. Preventive psychiatry is not just an endeavor from the government but should also be from the private sector and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). If measures are taken collectively, it is plausible that the quiet epidemic of elderly depression and dementia this century can be averted.