Older Adults Accept Dementia Telephone Screening

Nearly two-thirds of older adults in the United States are willing to undergo telephone screening for dementia, according to a new study.

Researchers from Indiana University (Bloomington, IN, USA) and the Regenstrief Institute (Indianapolis, IN, USA) conducted a phone survey of 400 older primary care patients on their perceptions of the risks and benefits of dementia screening, and to measure the association between attitudes and actual screening behaviors. Eligible patients completed the Perceptions Regarding Investigational Screening for Memory in Primary Care (PRISM-PC) questionnaire, and were then asked to undergo dementia screening by telephone.

The results pointed to a 63.7% willingness to be screened by phone for dementia, regardless of sex, age, or race. The two most significant predictors of willingness to be screened by phone were belief in benefits of early knowledge of cognitive decline, and having a friend or relative with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Participants who refused screening were also less likely to agree on screening for other conditions, such as depression and cancer. The study was published on April 6, 2015, in the Journal of Aging Research.

“Despite rising incidence rates of Alzheimer's and other dementias, many individuals with cognitive impairment are not screened. They go unrecognized and thus never receive evaluation or diagnosis,” said lead author Nicole Fowler, PhD, and colleagues of the Indiana University Center for Aging Research. “Understanding patients' attitude about the risk and benefits of early identification of dementia is vital as we evaluate potential screening barriers and facilitators.”

Dementia is an overall term for the wide range of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other cognitive skills severe enough to reduce a person's ability to perform everyday activities. The incidence of dementia is growing globally, with a new patient being diagnosed approximately every 7 seconds. It is estimated that by 2050 there will be 11–19 million people in the USA alone living with dementia, of which AD, a progressive condition, is the most common form.

Related Links:
Indiana University
Regenstrief Institute