Differential Association of Aggression With Sadness for People With Moderate and Severe Dementia

• Published in: American journal of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias 2020-01, Vol.35, p.1533317520939781-1533317520939781
• Main Authors: O’Rourke, Hannah M., Fraser, Kimberly D., Duggleby, Wendy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged, 80 and over; Aggression; Cross-Sectional Studies; Current Topics in Research; Dementia - psychology; Female; Humans; Male; Prospective Studies; Retrospective Studies; Sadness
• ISSN: 1533-3175; 1938-2731
• DOI: 10.1177/1533317520939781

Little is known about how individual behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) impact the person with dementia. This cross-sectional, retrospective study examined the association between one BPSD, aggressive behavior, and a patient-identified outcome, sadness, among people with moderate and severe dementia (n = 5001) using clinical administrative Resident Assessment Instrument 2.0 data. For people with moderate or severe cognitive impairment, the odds of sadness were significantly higher if verbal aggression was exhibited 4 to 6 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.85, P < .001) or 1 to 3 (aOR = 2.28, P < .001) times per week, or daily (aOR = 1.77, P = .003). People with severe cognitive impairment and who displayed physical aggression either daily (OR = 2.16, P = .002) or 1 to 3 times per week (OR = 1.45, P = .023) also had an increased odds of sadness. Aggression may harm the person with dementia’s mental well-being, depending on the level of cognitive impairment, and type and frequency of aggression. Prospective studies can build on these correlational findings.