title: Effects of cognitive function and depressive mood on the quality of life in Chinese Alzheimer's disease patients in Hong Kong.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In view of the paucity of data on the quality of life (QOL) in Chinese Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, we investigated the effects of cognitive function and depressive mood on QOL among our Chinese AD patients in Hong Kong, using the Cantonese Chinese version of Quality of Life in Alzheimer's disease (QOL-AD).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study. The Cantonese Chinese version of QOL-AD was adapted from the Mandarin Chinese and English versions of QOL-AD, and was administered to 111 AD patients and their caregivers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Cantonese Chinese version of QOL-AD showed good internal consistency, test-retest and inter-rater reliability. The patients' and caregivers' reports of QOL-AD were moderately correlated (r=0.516, P<0.001). Both QOL-AD scores from patient and caregiver reports varied significantly in relation to the severity of cognitive impairment, being lowest in the subgroup with Mini-Mental State Examination scores of 10 or less. The mean QOL-AD scores from both patient and caregiver reports were also significantly lower in the depressed (Geriatric Depression Scale [GDS] scores≥15) than non-depressed groups (GDS scores≤15) (QOL-AD patient report 23.8 and 34.2, respectively, P<0.001, Student's t-test; QOL-AD caregiver report 28.9 and 31.0, respectively, P<0.05, Student's t-test). General linear model analyses showed that only the MMSE and GDS scores were independent significant factors associated with the patient but not the caregiver reports of the QOL-AD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among Chinese AD patients in Hong Kong, depressive mood and low MMSE score adversely affect the QOL-AD from the patient but not the caregiver perspectives.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, Castle Peak Hospital, LKS Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Ivy Wai-Ping
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Leung-Wing
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Peter W H
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Siu-Wah
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ka-Kui
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D044466:Asian People; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*