Characteristics of Mexican-American elders with dementia presenting to a community-based memory evaluation program.
OBJECTIVE
To determine sociodemographic characteristics associated with the initial presentation of Mexican-American elders to a community-based memory evaluation clinic.


METHODS
Retrospective review of the charts of 89 Mexican Americans presenting consecutively to an outpatient memory evaluation clinic in San Antonio, Texas.


RESULTS
Mexican Americans presented for evaluation with more moderate-to-severe cognitive impairment than previously reported. They also tended to have high levels of IADL (83.1%) and gait/balance (52.3%) impairment, as well as high levels of depressive symptoms (63.1%).


CONCLUSIONS
Mexican Americans present for initial evaluation for memory decline with moderate-to-severe cognitive decline and significant dementia-associated co-morbidities. In Mexican Americans, caregiver burden, fall risks, depressive symptoms, and need for IADL support should be addressed on the initial visit for memory decline.
Espino
David V
DV
Division of Community Geriatrics, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas 78229-3900, USA. espino@uthscsa.edu
DelAguila
David
D
Mouton
Charles P
CP
Alford
Cynthia
C
Parker
Robert W
RW
Miles
Toni P
TP
Olivares
Olga
O
D000368:Aged; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008568:Memory; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology