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PREVALENCE AND CORRELATES OF AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOURS OCCURRING IN PATIENTS WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
Author(s) -
EASTLEY REBECCA,
WILCOCK GORDON K.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1166(199704)12:4<484::aid-gps526>3.0.co;2-#
Subject(s) - aggression , dementia , psychology , injury prevention , disease , poison control , confidence interval , psychiatry , suicide prevention , occupational safety and health , clinical psychology , medicine , medical emergency , pathology
Objectives . To determine the prevalence and clinical correlates of verbal and physical aggression occurring in Alzheimer's disease sufferers. Design . A retrospective note review was performed to classify the subjects according to whether they were verbally or physically aggressive (assaultive) or non‐aggressive. The characteristics of the three groups were compared. Subjects . The subjects were 262 patients who were living in non‐institutional settings and had been diagnosed as suffering from dementia of Alzheimer's type. Results . Fifty‐two per cent exhibited some aggressive behaviour. Ninety‐one (35%) patients were reported to be verbally aggressive and a further 46 (18%) were assaultive to their carers. Male gender (relative risk 2.17, 95% confidence interval 1.11–4.17) and the presence of dyspraxia (relative risk 2.89, 95% confidence interval 1.43–5.88) both increased the likelihood of assaultive behaviour. Verbal aggression was not associated with any of the clinical features measured. Conclusion . Aggressive behaviour is a common phenomenon in AD and approximately one in five sufferers is assaultive. Assaultive behaviour is associated with male gender and dyspraxia. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.