Diagnosing and managing dementia patients. Practice patterns of family physicians.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the practice patterns of family physicians in diagnosing and managing patients with dementia.


METHODS
In-depth structured interviews.


METHODS
Metropolitan Toronto family practices.


METHODS
Twenty family physicians who referred patients to a specialized community psychiatry service for the elderly in the previous year.


METHODS
Two vignettes focusing on diagnosis and management issues were developed for the study. Physicians were asked how they would handle the clinical problems presented in the vignettes. Their responses were compared to standardized diagnostic and management protocols.


RESULTS
Participants were more comfortable with diagnosing dementia than with ongoing management issues, and most physicians were not using standardized cognitive screening protocols. Physicians were more oriented to immediate medical and psychiatric problems than to long-term psychosocial issues.


CONCLUSIONS
More attention should be paid to the ongoing educational needs of family physicians with respect to this patient population.
Cheok
A S
AS
Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto.
Cohen
C A
CA
Zucchero
C A
CA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health