Geriatric Psychiatry in Bangladesh

Being a densely populated country, Bangladesh contains about 15.7 million populations aged above 60 years making up about 9.3% of the population with an increased proportion over the decades. Mental disorders are prevalent among elderly adults in Bangladesh, particularly among those in rural and marginalized communities. Geriatric psychiatric disorders are frequently under-diagnosed due to a lack of awareness and a focus on physical health problems. In this chapter, we discuss the current status of the geriatric population, their proportion, and demography in Bangladesh. We discuss the available evidence determining the prevalence and burden of psychiatric disorders in old age in the country. We highlighted the available specialized services for geriatric psychiatry in the country. The unmet need in geriatric psychiatry is mounting. However, there is a dearth of research and holistic services for geriatric psychiatry. As an entity geriatric psychiatry is in a rudimentary state in Bangladesh with similar challenges of psychiatry and other branches of psychiatry in Bangladesh that warrant policy-level attention and implications.