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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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Diagnosing cognitive impairment and dementia in primary health care
— a more active approach is needed | | Author(s) | Minna Löppönen, Ismo Raiha, Raimo Isoaho |
| Journal title | Age and Ageing, vol 32, no 6, November 2003 |
| Pages | pp 606-612 |
| Keywords | Dementia ; Cognitive impairment ; Diagnosis ; General practice ; Finland. |
| Annotation | The documentation rate of dementia in primary health care in Finland was examined for all inhabitants aged 64+ in Lieto, as part of a longitudinal study of the municipality. 1,260 (82%) participated, and were assessed for dementia according to DSM-IV criteria, and severity according to the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR). 112 patients with dementia were found. The sensitivity of general practitioners' (GPs) judgement of dementia was 48.2% and specificity 99.6%. The documentation rate for dementia was 73% for severe, 46% for moderate, and 33% for mild. A greater proportion of those with undocumented dementia was male, lived at home, coped better with instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), had more depression and milder dementia than patients with documented dementia. 28% had been tested for cognitive function, 68% for depressive symptoms and 88% for social abilities. 42% of patients were referred to a specialist. Less than half of the patients with dementia had their diagnoses documented in primary care medical records. Documentation increased in more advanced dementia. The diagnostic evaluations for reversible causes of dementia were insufficient in primary care, and they were done at a late phase of cognitive impairment. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-031217222 A |
| Classmark | EA: E4: LK7: L5: 76L |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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