title: Clinicians' experiences of anxiety in patients with dementia.
abstract: Since anxiety in patients with dementia is a complex, understudied phenomenon, this paper presents clinicians' experiences of anxiety in this population. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven clinicians experienced with dementia in elderly patients (65 years and above), and then evaluated via qualitative content analysis. Analysis revealed three main categories: A reaction to loss and worries, symptoms of anxiety and depression interfere with each other, and anxiety in dementia-a multidisciplinary task. Anxiety in this population is perhaps best understood as a reaction to loss and worries, and existential in nature by the participants. Care interventions can reduce or prevent anxiety symptoms in this population. However, when anxiety co-exists with depression it might be difficult to attenuate these symptoms through care measures alone. To better identify and treat the condition, valid dementia-specific anxiety-screening instruments are necessary.
authors.affiliation: Section of Old Age Psychiatry, Vestre Viken Hospital trust, Norway; Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Aging and Health, Norway; Centre of Old Age Psychiatry Research, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Norway.
authors.forename: Alka R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Goyal
authors.affiliation: Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Aging and Health, Norway.
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Engedal
authors.affiliation: Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Aging and Health, Norway.
authors.forename: Siren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eriksen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research
keywords: anxiety; clinicians’ experiences; dementia; depression; existential