Psychiatric comorbidities are common among older, post-menopausal women. The Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry (CLP) Service of Modena General Hospital has set up a regular collaboration with the Cardiology Clinic, within the Woman Wellness Project (WWP), whose aim is detection and prevention of post-menopausal correlated diseases.

The aim of the study is to understand the management of psychic distress and mental disorders in post-menopausal women.

Data on 383 WWP outpatients, from January 2010 to September 2011, were retrospectively analyzed.

12.5% of the WWP patients (48/383) were referred to the CLP Service, but only 77% of them (37/48) attended the examination. Positive psychiatric history was detected in 62.2% of the patients, and 48% of these were already on psychopharmacological therapy. Main psychiatric diagnoses were depression (37.8%), anxious-depressive syndrome (18.9%), anxiety (16.2%), dysthymia (8.1%) and eating disorders (5.4%). The majority of patients (89%) had two or more medical comorbidities: dyslipidemia (62.1%), hypertension (29.7%) and thyroid diseases (21.6%). 83.8% of the patients were advised for psychopharmacological therapy, together with referral for psychological support in 22.7% of cases. Back-referral to Mental Health Care (21% to the Community Mental Health Centre, 30% to the Clinical Psychological Care Service and 5.4% to the Day Hospital for Eating Disorders) was suggested in 56.4% of cases.

Data from our experience support evidence from literature. Collaboration with a CLP Service improves detection of psychic distress and access to Mental Health Care for menopausal women. Considering the high frequency of medical comorbidities, psychiatric treatment needs an integrated approach.