title: A focus group on cognition-enhancing medications in Alzheimer disease: disparities between professionals and consumers.
abstract: The emergence of cognition-enhancing drugs in the treatment of Alzheimer disease raises questions about quality of lives for those with dementia and for their caregivers, and about the perceptions of health care professionals. This pilot study analyzes a limited data from a series of three focus groups on the experience of treatment. These groups engaged both Alzheimer disease-affected persons, their caregivers, and a multidisciplinary professional core. We conclude that therapeutic goals need to be better addressed with patients and families, as well as better monitored, with the possibility of withdrawing therapy as appropriate. We also detected, as hypothesized, considerable disparity between the perspectives of professionals and consumers regarding the benefits of therapy.
authors.affiliation: Center for Biomedical Ethics, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-4976, USA.
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Post
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Stuckey
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Whitehouse
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ollerton
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Durkin
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Robbins
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Fallcreek
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life
chemical_list: D018697:Nootropic Agents