BACKGROUND: The detrimental impact of dementia upon patient health-related quality of life (HRQL) is well established, as is the importance of improving HRQL. However, relatively little is known about the natural history of HRQL in dementia and those factors influencing it. This limited knowledge potentially restricts the evaluation of the efficacy of interventions designed to improve HRQL. One such area concerns the relationship between HRQL and patient insight. It remains unclear what impact, if any, impaired insight has upon a patient's HRQL. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between insight and HRQL in a sample of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and their carers. METHODS: 256 patients with AD were recruited as part of AddNeuroMed, a multicentre European AD biomarkers study. Of these, 174 completed a quality-of-life measure in addition to a comprehensive battery of clinical and neuropsychological assessments. RESULTS: Insight was found to be differentially related to patient perceptions of HRQL in mild and moderate dementia. Within moderate dementia, impaired insight was associated with better perceived HRQL. Conversely, cognition, but not insight, was associated with impaired HRQL in mild dementia. Insight was not found to be associated with carer perceptions of patient HRQL. CONCLUSION: Impairment of insight is associated with better HRQL in moderate dementia. This finding has implications for interventions which focus on increasing patient awareness and orientation, as impairment of insight appears to have a positive impact upon HRQL.
BACKGROUND: The detrimental impact of dementia upon patient health-related quality of life (HRQL) is well established, as is the importance of improving HRQL. However, relatively little is known about the natural history of HRQL in dementia and those factors influencing it. This limited knowledge potentially restricts the evaluation of the efficacy of interventions designed to improve HRQL. One such area concerns the relationship between HRQL and patient insight. It remains unclear what impact, if any, impaired insight has upon a patient's HRQL. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between insight and HRQL in a sample of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and their carers. METHODS: 256 patients with AD were recruited as part of AddNeuroMed, a multicentre European AD biomarkers study. Of these, 174 completed a quality-of-life measure in addition to a comprehensive battery of clinical and neuropsychological assessments. RESULTS: Insight was found to be differentially related to patient perceptions of HRQL in mild and moderate dementia. Within moderate dementia, impaired insight was associated with better perceived HRQL. Conversely, cognition, but not insight, was associated with impaired HRQL in mild dementia. Insight was not found to be associated with carer perceptions of patient HRQL. CONCLUSION: Impairment of insight is associated with better HRQL in moderate dementia. This finding has implications for interventions which focus on increasing patient awareness and orientation, as impairment of insight appears to have a positive impact upon HRQL.
Authors: Gary Naglie; David B Hogan; Murray Krahn; B Lynn Beattie; Sandra E Black; Chris Macknight; Morris Freedman; Christopher Patterson; Michael Borrie; Howard Bergman; Anna Byszewski; David Streiner; Jane Irvine; Paul Ritvo; Janna Comrie; Matthew Kowgier; George Tomlinson Journal: Am J Geriatr Psychiatry Date: 2011-10 Impact factor: 4.105
Authors: Gary Naglie; David B Hogan; Murray Krahn; Sandra E Black; B Lynn Beattie; Christopher Patterson; Chris Macknight; Morris Freedman; Michael Borrie; Anna Byszewski; Howard Bergman; David Streiner; Jane Irvine; Paul Ritvo; Janna Comrie; Matthew Kowgier; George Tomlinson Journal: Am J Geriatr Psychiatry Date: 2011-10 Impact factor: 4.105
Authors: Sarah Cines; Meagan Farrell; Jason Steffener; Liz Sullo; Edward Huey; Jason Karlawish; Stephanie Cosentino Journal: Am J Geriatr Psychiatry Date: 2015-05-19 Impact factor: 4.105
Authors: Samanta Lalic; Kris M Jamsen; Barbara C Wimmer; Edwin C K Tan; Sarah N Hilmer; Leonie Robson; Tina Emery; J Simon Bell Journal: Eur J Clin Pharmacol Date: 2016-06-02 Impact factor: 2.953
Authors: Shana D Stites; Jason Karlawish; Kristin Harkins; Jonathan D Rubright; David Wolk Journal: J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci Date: 2017-10-01 Impact factor: 4.077
Authors: Robert T Woods; Sharon M Nelis; Anthony Martyr; Judith Roberts; Christopher J Whitaker; Ivana Markova; Ilona Roth; Robin Morris; Linda Clare Journal: Health Qual Life Outcomes Date: 2014-06-11 Impact factor: 3.186