Aggression in individuals newly diagnosed with dementia.
Aggression is often associated with dementia. In this study, aggression in veterans newly diagnosed with dementia was examined and characterized. Participants were >or=60 years diagnosed with dementia at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston, Texas, from 2001 to 2004. Aggression was defined as a positive caregiver response to 1 or more of 3 probes from the Ryden Aggression Scale, administered during a telephone screen. Of 1276 contacts, 385 (30%) were eligible and agreed to participate; at initial screening, 75 (19.5%) were aggressive (23 [31%] verbally, 9 [12%] physically, 24 [32%] verbally and physically, and 19 [25%] with unspecified aggression). The surprisingly high prevalence of aggression in individuals newly diagnosed with dementia suggests the potential usefulness of early screening for aggression in this population.
Orengo
Claudia A
CA
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Khan
Jennifer
J
Kunik
Mark E
ME
Snow
Andrea L
AL
Morgan
Robert
R
Steele
Avila
A
Cully
Jeffrey A
JA
Graham
David P
DP
D000368:Aged; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010552:Personality Assessment; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013781:Texas; D014600:Utilization Review; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data