International journal of geriatric psychiatry
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Int J Geriatr Psychiatry · Nov 2008
CAMcog as a screening tool for diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment and dementia in a Brazilian clinical sample of moderate to high education.
The CAMCOG is a brief neuropsychological battery designed to assess global cognitive function and ascertain the impairments that are required for the diagnosis of dementia. To date, the cut-off scores for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have not been determined. Given the need for an earlier diagnosis of mild dementia, new cut-off values are also necessary, taking into account cultural and educational effects. ⋯ The CAMCOG discriminated controls and MCI from demented patients, but was less accurate to discriminate MCI from controls. The best cut-off value to differentiate controls and demented was higher than suggested in the original publication, probably because only cases of mild to moderate dementia were included. This is important given the need for a diagnostic at earlier stages of Alzheimer's disease.
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The aims of this study were to investigate prevalence of suicidal thoughts among a population of elderly aboriginal women in Taiwan over a 1-month period and to examine the risk factors for suicidal thinking in terms of individual (self-perceived health, disability and financial difficulty), family (marital discord) and social (medical accessibility) aspects. The mediating effects of depression on the above risk factors were also investigated. Furthermore, we examined the buffer effect on suicidal ideation of emotional social support for dealing with marital discord. ⋯ Suicidal thoughts are common among the community-dwelling aboriginal elderly women in Taiwan. Risk factors for suicidal thoughts comprise individual (depression and physical condition), family (marital discord) and community (medical resources) aspects. Better emotional social support can effectively buffer the effect of marital discord.
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Int J Geriatr Psychiatry · Oct 2008
Depressive symptoms combined with dementia affect 12-months survival in elderly patients after rehabilitation post-hip fracture surgery.
To assess whether the association of depression and dementia affects 12-month survival of elderly patients after rehabilitation post-hip fracture (HF) surgery. ⋯ The co-occurrence of depression and dementia significantly increases the 12-months risk of dying in elderly patients after rehabilitation post-HF surgery.
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Int J Geriatr Psychiatry · Sep 2008
Coping strategies, anxiety and depression in caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease.
There have been few longitudinal studies investigating the impact of coping on psychological morbidity in caregivers of people with dementia. Findings have been inconsistent and little attention has been paid to anxiety in caregivers. We explored the hypothesis that the relationship between caregiver burden and anxiety and depression is mediated by coping style. ⋯ Using emotion-focussed coping strategies in response to caregiver burden seemed to protect caregivers from developing higher anxiety levels a year later; however using problem-focussed strategies did not. Our results suggest that a psychological intervention package to emphasise emotion-focused coping may be a rational approach to reduce anxiety in dementia caregivers. Studies are needed to test such interventions.
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Int J Geriatr Psychiatry · Sep 2008
Pre-operative inflammatory markers and the risk of postoperative delirium in elderly patients.
Pathophysiological mechanisms leading to delirium are not clear. Age is a known risk factor and hypothesised to be accompanied by a low-grade inflammatory state. Previous studies have shown an association between delirium and circulating proinflammatory markers in acutely ill and postoperative patients. In light of the ageing/inflammation theory, we investigated the association of these markers with delirium in not acutely ill, elderly patients. ⋯ In the present study no relationship was found between levels of pre-operative circulating pro-inflammatory markers and post-operative delirium in elderly patients, who were free from acute or severe disease.