title: Diagnosis and disclosure of a memory problem is associated with quality of life in community based older Australians with dementia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Identification of factors associated with quality of life (QoL) in people having dementia will help develop strategies for maintenance and improvement of patient QoL. This study examined the predictors of QoL in a community-dwelling population aged 75 years and over, with or without dementia.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study involving 169 GPs and 2,028 patients. Patients were interviewed to collect information on personal circumstances. Several instruments were administered including the WHOQOL-BREF (quality of life outcome measure), Geriatric Depression Scale, GPAQ (satisfaction with GP care), and the CAMCOG-R (cognitive function). Patients with a CAMCOG-R score < 80 were allocated to the dementia group. GPs provided an independent clinical judgment of cognitive function for each of their participating patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The dementia group had significantly lower QoL scores in all four domains of the WHOQOL-BREF (all p ≤ 0.002). The GDS score was negatively correlated with all four domains in the non-dementia group and with physical, psychological, and environmental QoL in the dementia group (all p < 0.001). Satisfaction with GP communication was positively associated with psychological QoL in the dementia group and all domains in the non-dementia group. Participants in the dementia group who had been given a diagnosis of a memory problem had significantly higher physical (2.05, 95% CI 0.36 to 3.74) and environmental (2.18, 95% CI 0.72 to 3.64) QoL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Satisfaction with GP communication is associated with a higher QoL in their older patients. Diagnosis and disclosure of memory problems is associated with better QoL in people with dementia. Clinicians should not be deterred from discussing a memory diagnosis and plans for the future with patients.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine & Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Karen.Mate@newcastle.edu.au
authors.forename: Karen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Mate
authors.forename: Constance D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Pond
authors.forename: Parker J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Magin
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Goode
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McElduff
authors.forename: Nigel P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Stocks
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications*; D030881:Disclosure; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D016743:Mental Competency; D057240:Patient Preference / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012931:Social Environment