Awareness and Anxiety in Help-seekers for Dementia Assessment Service

Abstract

Anxiety is common in people with dementia, and is associated with awareness of cognitive deficits. Awareness is a multicomponent construct but little is known about how other components, such as functional ability, influences anxiety. Few studies looked at awareness and anxiety in people seeking help from dementia assessment service. This study explores the potential relationship between awareness and anxiety in help-seekers with suspected dementia. The study included 110 dyads of caregivers and people with suspected dementia from a dementia early detection service in Hong Kong. Awareness of cognitive performance was estimated by comparing participants’ Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and self-rated memory on the Quality of Life-Alzheimer’s Disease (QoL-AD). Awareness of daily activities functioning was estimated by comparing caregivers-rated Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living (ADCS-ADL) and participants’ self-rated ability to do chores on QoL-AD. Anxiety symptoms were assessed using the relevant item on Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Questionnaire. Anxiety was reported in 31.8% of the participants. Self-reported memory and ability to do chores were correlated with MMSE (r=0.21, p=.033) and ADCS-ADL (r=0.76, p<.01) respectively. Regression analysis showed that age, gender, education, and awareness of cognitive performance and daily activity functioning explained a significant proportion of the variance in anxiety (R2=0.13, F(5, 103)=1.73, p=.016). Greater discrepancy between self-reported and caregiver-reported ability to do chores predicted anxiety (β=0.45, p=.045). Awareness of cognitive and functional deficits appears intact in this sample of people with suspected dementia. Anxiety in this population may be predicted by a lower awareness of daily activities functioning ability.