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Factors associated with primary care physicians' recognition of cognitive impairment in their older patients.

ABSTRACT: Although there are accurate screens for cognitive impairment, there is as yet no evidence that screening improves outcomes including primary care physicians' (PCP) medical decision making. PCPs' recognition of cognitive impairment being suboptimal, we investigated factors associated with improved recognition. Eligible patients were aged 65 years and above, without documented dementia or previous work-up for dementia, seen consecutively over 2 months by one of 13 PCPs. PCPs indicated whether they, the patient, or the family had concerns about each patient's cognition. We enrolled 130 patients with any cognitive concerns and a matched sample of 133 without cognitive concerns, and administered standardized neuropsychological tests. PCP's judgments of cognitive concern showed 61% sensitivity and 86% specificity against the neuropsychological standard. When combined with a Mini-Mental State Examination score ?26, PCP recognition improved in sensitivity (82%) with some loss in specificity (74%). True positives increased when PCPs' practices included more cognitively impaired patients and when patients reported poor memory. False positives increased when patients had diabetes, reported poor memory, or no or light alcohol consumption. Medical decision making can be improved by the Mini-Mental State Examination and greater exposure to cognitively impaired patients, but knowledge of certain risk factors for cognitive impairment negatively affected these decisions.

SUBMITTER: Tierney MC

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4163135 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Oct-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Factors associated with primary care physicians' recognition of cognitive impairment in their older patients.

Tierney Mary C MC Naglie Gary G Upshur Ross R Jaakkimainen Liisa L Moineddin Rahim R Charles Jocelyn J Ganguli Mary M

Alzheimer disease and associated disorders 20141001 4

Although there are accurate screens for cognitive impairment, there is as yet no evidence that screening improves outcomes including primary care physicians' (PCP) medical decision making. PCPs' recognition of cognitive impairment being suboptimal, we investigated factors associated with improved recognition. Eligible patients were aged 65 years and above, without documented dementia or previous work-up for dementia, seen consecutively over 2 months by one of 13 PCPs. PCPs indicated whether they ...[more]

PMID: 24632991

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Project description:BackgroundEstablishing priorities for discussion during time-limited primary care visits is challenging in the care of patients with cognitive impairment. These patients commonly attend primary care visits with a family companion.ObjectiveTo examine whether a patient-family agenda setting intervention improves primary care visit communication for patients with cognitive impairment DESIGN: Two-group pilot randomized controlled study PARTICIPANTS: Patients aged 65 + with cognitive impairment and family companions (n = 93 dyads) and clinicians (n = 14) from two general and one geriatrics primary care clinic INTERVENTION: A self-administered paper-pencil checklist to clarify the role of the companion and establish a shared visit agenda MEASUREMENTS: Patient-centered communication (primary); verbal activity, information disclosure including discussion of memory, and visit duration (secondary), from audio recordings of visit discussion RESULTS: Dyads were randomized to usual care (n = 44) or intervention (n = 49). Intervention participants endorsed an active communication role for companions to help patients understand what the clinician says or means (90% of dyads), remind patients to ask questions or ask clinicians questions directly (84% of dyads), or listen and take notes (82% of dyads). Intervention dyads identified 4.4 health issues for the agenda on average: patients more often identified memory (59.2 versus 38.8%; p = 0.012) and mood (42.9 versus 24.5%; p = 0.013) whereas companions more often identified safety (36.7 versus 18.4%; p = 0.039) and personality/behavior change (32.7 versus 16.3%; p = 0.011). Communication was significantly more patient-centered in intervention than in control visits at general clinics (p < 0.001) and in pooled analyses (ratio of 0.86 versus 0.68; p = 0.046). At general clinics, intervention (versus control) dyads contributed more lifestyle and psychosocial talk (p < 0.001) and less biomedical talk (p < 0.001) and companions were more verbally active (p < 0.005). No intervention effects were found at the geriatrics clinic. No effect on memory discussions or visit duration was observed.ConclusionPatient-family agenda setting may improve primary care visit communication for patients with cognitive impairment.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov : NCT02986958.

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Factors associated with primary care physicians' recognition of cognitive impairment in their older patients.

Publications

Factors associated with primary care physicians' recognition of cognitive impairment in their older patients.

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