Search results for ‘Subject term:"cognitive impairment"’ Sort:
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Self-reported severe memory problems as a screen for cognitive impairment and dementia
- Authors:
- CROOKS Valerie C., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Dementia: the International Journal of Social Research and Practice, 4(4), November 2005, pp.539-551.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Undetected cognitive impairment (CI) and dementia are important clinical and epidemiological problems. This study addresses the effectiveness of using a single self-reported measure of severe memory problems (SMP) as a screen for CI and dementia. For the purposes of the study, 3220 elderly women participated in a mailed Health Survey Questionnaire and telephone interviews. Cognitive scores derived from the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status–modified (TICSm) were calculated. Based on a multi-stage assessment strategy, all subjects were classified in one of three status categories: dementia, CI, or unimpaired. The SMP question was suggestive of cognitive problems in the majority of responders. t-tests found affirmative responders scored much lower on the cognitive test than negative responders. The SMP question had a sensitivity of .24 and a specificity of .99 for screening CI and dementia. While other assessment measures are needed, the SMP question is highly suggestive of CI and may serve as a first-stage screen in clinical and research settings.
Effects of a comprehensive educational group intervention in older women with cognitive complaints: a randomized controlled trial
- Authors:
- HOOGENHOUT Esther M., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 16(1-2), January 2012, pp.135-144.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
One of the most common complaints of normal aging refers to cognitive changes. Such perceived cognitive changes can be a source of worry and frustration. This study presents a new comprehensive educational group intervention that offers psycho-education about cognitive aging and the influence of contextual factors such as negative age stereotypes, beliefs, health, and lifestyle. The intervention discusses the use of commonly applicable compensatory strategies, and includes group discussion. A randomised controlled trial was carried with a sample of 50 community-dwelling older women aged 60-75 years who reported normal age-related cognitive complaints. As the main problem of these individuals were perceived cognitive deficits without actual cognitive decrements, metacognition served as the primary outcome measure. The findings showed that the participants reported significantly fewer negative emotional reactions toward cognitive functioning. The article concludes that this comprehensive educational group intervention reduces negative emotional reactions toward cognitive functioning, and can therefore potentially contribute the well-being of an important and large group of older adults.
Women with cognitive impairment and unplanned or unwanted pregnancy: a 2-year audit of women contacting the Pregnancy Advisory Service
- Author:
- BURDEN Brenda
- Journal article citation:
- Australian Social Work, 63(1), March 2010, pp.18-34.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The aim of this project was to develop understanding of the experience of women with intellectual disabilities and women with acquired brain injuries in relation to unplanned or unwanted pregnancies. The records of the Pregnancy Advisory Service (PAS) at the Royal Women's Hospital in Melbourne across a 2-year period were examined. Details of 20 women with cognitive impairments, who had contacted PAS for support with an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy, were found and their case notes examined. Many of these women had faced significant barriers to reproductive choices. The majority of the women had needed someone to facilitate their first contact with PAS; one quarter had contacted PAS too late for the option of the abortion they were seeking; one quarter were in significant conflict with their support people over the pregnancy; almost half of the women contacted PAS significantly late in their pregnancy; and one quarter (more than half of those who already had children) were currently involved with child protection services. The audit suggests that women with cognitive impairments need more accessible information on sexual and reproductive health, and assistance to access pregnancy information and services. It is important that social workers and other professionals who work with women with cognitive impairments be aware of their greater vulnerability and often complex social situations, and adopt a proactive as well as supportive approach when working with these women.
Evaluating cognition in an elderly cohort via telephone assessment
- Authors:
- MITSIS Effie M., et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 25(5), May 2010, pp.531-539.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Longitudinal neuropsychological assessment provides the opportunity to observe the earliest transition to cognitive impairment in healthy, elderly individuals. This study examined the feasibility, and its comparability to in-person assessment, of a telephone administered battery of established neuropsychological measures of cognitive functioning in healthy, elderly women. The participants were 54 women aged 65 and over in self-reported good health recruited from senior centres and other community sources within New York City. A 2-way cross-over design was used in which participants were randomly assigned to receive either of the following sequences of administration separated by approximately 4 weeks: in-person neuropsychological assessment followed by telephone assessment; or telephone assessment followed by in-person assessment. Linear regression models were used to determine whether there were performance differences by method (in-person vs. telephone), and equivalence testing assessed comparability of the 2 methods. The results showed no statistically significant differences in performance between in-person and telephone assessments on most neuropsychological tests, with the exception of digit span backward, Oral Trail Making Test Part A, and delayed recall on the SRT, the latter likely related to non-comparable exposure. The equivalence testing differences provided evidence of comparability of the 2 methods. This pilot data supports telephone administration of a neuropsychological battery that yields comparable performance to in-person assessment with respect to most instruments, although significant differences in scores on some measures suggest care should be taken in selecting the specific measures used.
Response inhibition and everyday memory complaints in older adult women
- Authors:
- POTTER Guy G., HARTMAN Marilyn
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 21(12), December 2006, pp.1115-1120.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The purpose was to explore the association of executive functions to the everyday memory complaints of healthy older adults. Ninety-nine community-dwelling women aged 60 and above were administered a battery that included neuropsychological tests of executive functions and memory, along with self-report measures of everyday memory complaints, depression, and anxiety. Multivariate regression analyses revealed that a measure of response inhibition (Stroop Color-Word) accounted for unique variance in predicting memory complaints above and beyond measures of episodic memory, depression, and anxiety. Depression, however, accounted for the largest variance in memory complaints. Higher frequency of everyday memory complaints among older adults was associated with decreased response inhibition independent of episodic memory and affective state. Further research is needed to understand the interrelationships among these and other predictors of everyday memory complaints.
Stressful life events and cognitive decline: sex differences in the Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area follow up study
- Authors:
- MUNRO Cynthia A., et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 34(4), 2019,
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Introduction: The reasons why women are at higher risk than men for developing dementia are unclear. Although studies implicate sex differences in the effect of stress on cognitive functioning, whether stressful life events are associated with subsequent cognitive decline has received scant research attention. Methods: In Wave 3 (1993‐1996) of the Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area study, 337 men and 572 women (mean age = 47 years) reported recent (within the last year) and remote (from 1981 until 1 year ago) traumatic events (e.g., combat) and stressful‐life events (e.g., divorce/separation). At Wave 3 and Wave 4 (2004‐2005), they completed the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and a word‐list memory test. Multivariable models were used to examine the association between traumatic and stressful‐life events at Wave 3 and cognitive change by Wave 4. Results: A greater number of recent stressful life events at Wave 3, but not of more remote stressful events, was associated with greater verbal memory decline by Wave 4 in women but not in men. Stressful events were not associated with change in MMSE, and there were no associations between traumatic events occurring at any time and subsequent memory or MMSE decline in either sex. Conclusions: Unlike men, middle‐aged women with a greater number of recent stressful life events demonstrate memory decline over a decade later. Sex differences in cognitive vulnerability to stressful life events may underlie women's increased risk of memory impairment in late life, suggesting that stress reduction interventions may help prevent cognitive decline in women. (Publisher abstract)
Do subjective memory complaints predict falls, fractures and healthcare utilization? A two-year prospective study based on a cohort of older women recruited from primary care
- Authors:
- AL-SARI Usama A., et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 32(9), 2017, pp.968-976.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Objective: A proportion of older individuals report subjective memory complaints (SMCs), which can predict the development of cognitive impairment and dementia. Previous studies based on secondary care suggest that SMC is also associated with other adverse health consequences, including falls, fractures and increased healthcare utilization. In this study, the authors aimed to establish whether similar findings are observed in the wider population. Methods: Prospective analysis of the Cohort for Skeletal Health in Bristol and Avon, a population-based cohort recruited from primary care, was carried out. Data were collected by self-completion questionnaire at baseline and 2 years. SMC was assessed at baseline. Fractures, measures of falls, mobility and healthcare utilization were assessed 2 years later. A random 5% subsample of data was validated against electronic general practitioner records. Logistic regression was used to identify independent associations, following adjustment for a range of confounders assessed at baseline. Results: Data were available on 3184 women. Three hundred and fifty participants (11.0%) reported SMC. They were older (73.3 ± 4.5 vs 72.0 ± 4.2 years) and less mobile compared with those not reporting SMC. SMCs at baseline were associated with an increased risk of upper limb fractures over the following 2 years (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.02–2.90). SMCs were also associated with an increased risk of falls (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.41–2.38) and increased healthcare utilization (OR for hospital appointments 2.20, 95% CI 1.26–3.86). No association was observed with bone mineral density at any site. Conclusions: Subjective memory complaints are important markers of adverse health outcomes and should prompt interventions to reduce fractures such as physiotherapy-led fall reduction programmes. (Edited publisher abstract)
Predicting perceived medication-related hassles in dementia family caregivers
- Authors:
- GEORGE Nika R., STEFFEN Ann M.
- Journal article citation:
- Dementia: the International Journal of Social Research and Practice, 16(6), 2017, pp.797-810.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Objective: This study examined predictors of medication administration hassles reported by intergenerational dementia family caregivers. Methods: A sample of 53 women who aided a cognitively impaired older adult with healthcare and who identified as inter-generational caregivers provided self-report medication management and psychosocial data. Results: Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that six independent variables hypothesized for this model, the total number of prescription medications managed by caregivers, educational attainment, care-recipient functional impairment, care-recipient cognitive impairment, caregiver depressive symptomatology, and self-reported feelings of preparedness for the caregiving role together significantly predicted caregiver medication administration hassles scores F(1, 48) = 4.90, p = .032, and accounted for approximately 25% of the variance of self-reported hassles (adjusted R2 = .247). Discussion: Future interventions may reduce medication-related hassles by providing psychoeducation about healthcare, medication management, and strategies for coping with care-related stressors and depressed mood. (Publisher abstract)