Urgent attention to hoarding disorder among older adults in Brazil: a call for action

Authors

  • Roberth Steven Gutiérrez-Murillo Doutorando, Gerontologia Biomédica, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, PUC-RS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2304-3241

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25118/2763-9037.2025.v15.1491

Keywords:

Mental health, interdisciplinary intervention, hoarding disorder, early diagnosis, gerontology

Abstract

Hoarding Disorder (HD) is a psychiatric condition that especially affects the older population, causing persistent difficulties in discarding objects, resulting in excessive accumulation and functional impairment. In Brazil, the lack of epidemiological data and specific public policies limits the recognition and appropriate treatment of HD. This issue poses individual and collective risks to health and quality of life, worsened by social isolation and comorbidities. International experiences show that intersectoral approaches and multidisciplinary programs are effective. It is urgent to integrate HD into Brazilian geriatric health policies, including training, early diagnosis, and community interventions.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

Author Biography

Roberth Steven Gutiérrez-Murillo, Doutorando, Gerontologia Biomédica, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, PUC-RS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil

References

1. Mueller A, Mitchell JE, Crosby RD, Glaesmer H, de Zwaan M. Prevalence of hoarding disorder across the lifespan: a meta-analysis. Depress Anxiety. 2019;36(9):760-70. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.22918

2. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5-TR. 5th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2022. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787

3. Steils N, Woolham J, Manthorpe J, Martineau S, Owen J, Stevens M, Tinelli M. What do we know about hoarding behaviour and treatment approaches for older people? a thematic review. London: NIHR Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce; 2022. https://doi.org/10.18742/pub01-083

4. Grover S, Gupta BM. Global research on obsessive compulsive disorder and related disorders: a scientometric assessment of global research during 2002-2021. Asian J Psychiatr. 2022;72:103146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2022.103146 PMid:35537321

5. De Moura RR, De Castro WAC, Farinhas JH, Da Cunha GR, Pegoraro MMDO, Kmetiuk LB, Santos AP, Biondo AW. Association of hoarding case identification and animal protection programs to socioeconomic indicators in a major metropolitan area of Brazil. Front Vet Sci. 2022;9:872777. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2022.872777 PMid:36262530 PMCid:PMC9574217

6. Bates S, Chang WC, Hamilton CE, Chasson GS. Hoarding disorder and co-occurring medical conditions: a systematic review. J Obsessive Compuls Relat Disord. 2021;30:100661. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocrd.2021.100661

7. Vieira LS, Guastello A, Nguyen B, Nutley SK, Ordway A, Simpson H, Zakrzewski J, Archer C, Liu N, Gilles MEJ, Nosheny R, Weiner M, Mackin RS, Mathews CA. Identifying psychiatric and neurological comorbidities associated with hoarding disorder through network analysis. J Psychiatr Res. 2022;156:16-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.09.005 PMid:36183602

8. Nordsletten AE, Fernández de la Cruz L, Aluco E, Alonso P, López-Solà C, Menchón JM, Nakao T, Kuwano M, Yamada S, Fontenelle LF, Campos-Lima AL, Mataix-Cols D. A transcultural study of hoarding disorder: Insights from the United Kingdom, Spain, Japan, and Brazil. Transcult Psychiatry. 2018;55(2):261-85. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363461518759203 PMid:29508639

Downloads

Published

2025-09-28

How to Cite

1.
Gutiérrez-Murillo RS. Urgent attention to hoarding disorder among older adults in Brazil: a call for action. Debates em Psiquiatria [Internet]. 2025 Sep. 28 [cited 2025 Oct. 5];15:1-5. Available from: https://revistardp.org.br/revista/article/view/1491

Issue

Section

Letters

Plaudit