[Cognitive disorders and dementias in the private practice of specialists: pilot study of a self-assessment survey].
OBJECTIVE
To know about the features of cognitive disorders and dementias in the private practice of specialists and these doctor's skills on that area.


METHODS
In this pilot study, self-assessment questionnaires were delivered to neurologists of São Paulo State and 196 (22.8%) were respondents.


RESULTS
Many neurologists are involved, besides the private practice, with teaching (61.5%) and/or research (59.5%) activities. Most of them assessed as not good the training on cognitive disorders and dementias they had had during both the graduate (77.3%) and residence (63.1%) courses; nevertheless 60.8% self rated their knowledge on that subject as satisfactory and 83.0% declared their interest on it as at least equal to other areas. The most frequent cognitive complaints occurring as primary reason for appointment are memory loss (73.0%) and attention/concentration deficits (48.0%). Dementia of Alzheimer type (54.9%) and vascular dementia (23.0%) are the most frequent ones in the neurologist private practice.


CONCLUSIONS
Cognitive disorders and dementias represent a significant proportion in the neurological private practice. Although they had not had a good training on the area of cognitive disorders and dementias, the respondent neurologists demonstrated great interest on it.
do Vale
Francisco de Assis Carvalho
Fde A
Grupo de Neurologia Comportamental, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, SP, Brazil. facvale@rnp.fmrp.usp.br
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D003704:Dementia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009462:Neurology / Q000193:education*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011331:Private Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires