Cognitive abilities of Alzheimer's patients: perceptions of Black and White caregivers.
This study compared Black (n = 97) and White (n = 143) family caregivers regarding the relationship between subjective and objective cognitive assessments of Alzheimer's patients from the Memphis site of the NIA/NINR Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregivers Health (REACH) randomized clinical trial. Black and White caregivers' subjective ratings (Pearlin Cognitive Status Scale) of their care recipients' cognitive abilities were equivalent, but White Alzheimer's patients had higher objective cognitive performance (Mini-Mental State Examination). In simple regression analysis, race was significantly related to differences between subjective and objective cognitive assessments and remained so when caregiver age, sex, income, education, relationship to care recipient, caregiver bother (burden), and care recipient sex were statistically controlled in multiple regression analysis. Compared to the other group, Black caregivers generally overrated, and White caregivers underrated, their care recipient's cognitive ability. This difference in caregiver's appraisal may affect clinical and behavioral interventions for dementia patients and their caregivers.
Burns
Robert
R
Geriatrics Group of Memphis and University of Tennessee Health Science Center, USA. jmartindale@utmem.edu
Nichols
Linda O
LO
Graney
Marshall J
MJ
Martindale-Adams
Jennifer
J
Lummus
Allan
A
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001290:Attitude / Q000208:ethnology*; D044383:Black People; D017028:Caregivers; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D044465:White People