Prevalence, correlates and course of behavioural andpsychological symptoms of dementia in the population

BackgroundBehavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are majorcontributors to the burden of dementia.AimsTo describe the prevalence, correlates and course of BPSD in thepopulation of England and Wales.MethodThe prevalence of 12 symptoms was estimated in 587 participants withdementia a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:British journal of psychiatry 2009-03, Vol.194 (3), p.212-219
Main Authors: Savva, George M, Zaccai, Julia, Matthews, Fiona E, Davidson, Julie E, McKeith, Ian, Brayne, Carol
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aging
Alzheimer's disease
Anxiety
Apathy
Behavior
Caregivers
Cognition
Cognitive ability
Comorbidity
Councils
Dementia
Dementia disorders
Demography
Emotional behavior
Epidemiology
Geriatrics
Interviews
Irritability
Medical research
Mental depression
Neurosciences
Nursing homes
Older people
Oppression
Population
Psychiatry
Psychological problems
Psychosis
Sleep disorders
Sociodemographics
Symptoms
Wandering
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Summary:BackgroundBehavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are majorcontributors to the burden of dementia.AimsTo describe the prevalence, correlates and course of BPSD in thepopulation of England and Wales.MethodThe prevalence of 12 symptoms was estimated in 587 participants withdementia and 2050 participants without dementia as part of apopulation-based longitudinal study of ageing. The effect of risk factorsand the factor structure were estimated using 1782 interviews provided byparticipants with dementia throughout the study.ResultsEach symptom apart from sleeping problems was more common in thepopulation with dementia. The co-occurrence of the symptoms was explainedby a four-factor solution, corresponding to psychosis/apathy,depression/anxiety, irritability/persecution and wandering/sleepproblems. Psychosis occurred more frequently with declining cognition.Anxiety and depression were more common in younger individuals and inthose with poor self-reported health. Persistence varied betweensymptoms.ConclusionsBehavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia affect nearly allpeople with dementia. Symptoms co-occur, and the symptoms that affectedindividuals experience are related to their socio-demographic andclinical characteristics.
ISSN:0007-1250
1472-1465
DOI:10.1192/bjp.bp.108.049619