Prevalence of dementia among patients referred to an aged care assessment team and associated stress in their carers

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of dementia among patients referred to an aged care assessment team and to compare levels of burden and psychological morbidity between carers of cognitively normal persons and carers of people with dementia, in this population. Validated c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Australian Journal of Public Health 1995-06, Vol.19 (3), p.275-279
Main Authors: LoGiudice, Dina, Waltrowicz, Wendy, McKenzie, Steve, Ames, David, Flicker, Leon
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Caregiver burden
Cognition
Cognitive ability
Criteria
Dementia
Dementia disorders
Elder care
Evaluation
Health planning
Health services
Mental health services
Morbidity
Patients
Physical disabilities
Population studies
Public health
Teams
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Summary:The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of dementia among patients referred to an aged care assessment team and to compare levels of burden and psychological morbidity between carers of cognitively normal persons and carers of people with dementia, in this population. Validated cognitive tests were administered to participants drawn from a random sample of all persons referred to the North West Hospital Aged Care Assessment Team, and diagnoses of dementia were made according to ICD‐10 criteria. Available carers were assessed for psychological morbidity and burden with the General Health Questionnaire and the Zarit Family Burden Interview. Of 100 patients selected, 78 were assessed, of whom 34 (44 per cent) were cognitively normal and 34 (44 per cent) fulfilled ICD‐10 criteria for dementia. A further 8 (10 per cent) had cognitive impairment not meeting the criteria for dementia. There was a high level of psychological morbidity and burden among the carers of both the cognitively normal patients and the dementia sufferers, which was largely accounted for by the patients' physical disability. This has implications for the adequate provision of health care and services to both patients and carers of this population. Adequate education of members of aged care assessment teams in the identification of dementia and their ability to refer to appropriate dementia‐specific services and provide counselling for carers requires future planning. (Aust J Public Health 1995; 19: 275–80)
ISSN:1326-0200
1035-7319
1753-6405
DOI:10.1111/j.1753-6405.1995.tb00443.x