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Dementia in elderly inpatients admitted to medical wards in B razil: diagnosis and comorbidity with other clinical diseases
Author(s) -
Maia Erica,
Steglich Matheus Souza,
Lima Alice Ponte,
Zanella Troncoso Iris Hermes,
da Silva Karina Ilheu,
Martins Tassiane Raquel Cunha,
Correa Neto Ylmar,
Lopes Marcos Antonio
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
psychogeriatrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.647
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 1479-8301
pISSN - 1346-3500
DOI - 10.1111/psyg.12136
Subject(s) - comorbidity , dementia , medicine , gerontology , psychiatry , disease
Background Specific comorbidities affect older patients with dementia admitted to general hospitals and may complicate the recognition of dementia. The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of dementia among elderly inpatients admitted to hospital medical wards and to identify its distribution across clinical and sociodemographic conditions. Methods From J une 2011 to M ay 2012, a sample of elderly inpatients (≥60 years old) were screened for dementia with the M ini‐ M ental S tate E xamination and the B ayer A ctivities of D aily L iving S cale to identify cognitive and functional impairment ( CFI ). Subjects with CFI underwent a diagnostic procedure for dementia using the C ambridge M ental D isorders of the E lderly E xamination and the D iagnostic and S tatistical M anual of M ental D isorders , 4th edition. The elderly inpatients also completed a standard questionnaire to investigate sociodemographic and clinical variables and a screening procedure for depression and delirium. The data obtained were submitted to univariate and multivariate analyses. Results The sample of 224 subjects had a mean age of 71.5 years and was mostly men (62.2%), poorly educated (≤4 years of schooling: 74.6%), and married (53.4%). CFI was observed in 84 subjects (prevalence: 37.4%; 95% confidence interval: 31.1–43.7), and dementia was observed in 31 subjects (prevalence: 17.2%; 95% confidence interval: 12.3–22.1). Dementia was related to older age and the presence of delirium, stroke, and pneumonia. Conclusions The prevalence of CFI and dementia was high among the elderly inpatients examined. The identification of medical and sociodemographic conditions associated with a dementia diagnosis in a general hospital may be useful in the development of preventative actions.