Search results
1 – 10 of over 1000Heather Yemm, Elizabeth Peel and Dawn Brooker
This paper aims to report the findings of a survey study exploring perceptions about cognitive impairment. These findings are relevant to public health campaigns and education…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to report the findings of a survey study exploring perceptions about cognitive impairment. These findings are relevant to public health campaigns and education programmes.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey exploring respondents’ views and knowledge about mild cognitive impairment (MCI) was circulated via UK networks. A total of 417 respondents completed the survey, including people living with cognitive impairment (n = 10), care partners (n = 23), older adults (n = 83), younger adults (n = 83), general health-care professionals (n = 96), dementia specialist health-care professionals (n = 48) and dementia specialists (n = 40).
Findings
Respondents were more confident in their knowledge about dementia than cognitive impairment but wanted more information about both conditions. Younger adults were uncertain about many aspects of MCI, and were the most likely to view MCI as a normal part of ageing. Diet (45.1%, n = 188) and personal behaviour (63.8%, n = 266) were the least endorsed possible causes of MCI, suggesting a lack of awareness of lifestyle choices as risk factors for MCI.
Originality/value
The results highlight the need to provide education and awareness raising about MCI to enable people to seek help in a timely manner and be able to make informed lifestyle choices that may reduce their risk of MCI and dementia. Implementing education about MCI and dementia in schools is a key target, as younger people were the most uncertain or misinformed about these topics. It is clear that further public health initiatives around MCI are both warranted and welcomed by the general public.
Details
Keywords
Marten Haesner, Anika Steinert, Julie Lorraine O'Sullivan and Elisabeth Steinhagen-Thiessen
Cognitive changes occur with age and cognitive limitations can negatively influence computer use. Human-interaction studies show that especially older adults benefit considerably…
Abstract
Purpose
Cognitive changes occur with age and cognitive limitations can negatively influence computer use. Human-interaction studies show that especially older adults benefit considerably from using web platforms. The purpose of this paper is to measure the possible impact of cognitive impairment in web usability and to analyse the differences between older adults with and without cognitive impairment.
Design/methodology/approach
In the presented pilot study, 50 older adults tested a web-based interface on a PC and tablet computer that was designed based on a styleguide for this specific user group. In two sessions participants had to conduct six tasks. In a third session older adults were left unsupervised in the laboratory where they were confronted with unexpected events triggered by a principal investigator.
Findings
The performance results differed significantly between the two groups. Older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) needed more time and were more likely to make mistakes when using a web platform. After analysing error data, it became apparent that errors made by older adults with MCI occurred due to a lack of orientation in websites.
Originality/value
Little is known about web performance of older adults with cognitive impairment. The authors present valid data of this interesting target group and reveal their specific problems when handling a new online platform. The importance of a flat website hierarchy can be essential in developing senior friendly web pages. The authors also highlight methodological issues and illustrate the importance of qualitative information of the usability data, e.g. the different types of problems or errors.
Details
Keywords
Jennifer Seddon, Sarah Wadd, Lawrie Elliott and Iolo Madoc-Jones
No studies have evaluated the relationship between cognitive impairment and alcohol treatment outcomes amongst older drinkers. This study aims to explore the extent of cognitive…
Abstract
Purpose
No studies have evaluated the relationship between cognitive impairment and alcohol treatment outcomes amongst older drinkers. This study aims to explore the extent of cognitive impairment amongst older adults seeking alcohol treatment and examine the relationship between cognitive impairment, treatment retention and alcohol use following treatment.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used data from the Drink Wise Age Well programme; an alcohol intervention service for older adults (aged 50+). The Montreal Cognitive Assessment was used to screen for cognitive impairment; alcohol use was assessed using the alcohol use disorders identification test.
Findings
In total, 531 participants completed the assessment at treatment entry. Over half the sample were male (57%), with a mean age of 60 years (Standard deviation: 7.09). Almost half (48.4%) had cognitive impairment at the entry to treatment: 51.6% had a normal cognitive function, 41.4% had mild cognitive impairment, 5.8% had moderate cognitive impairment and 1.1% had severe cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment was not associated with increased treatment drop-out and was not predictive of alcohol use following treatment. Alcohol treatment was associated with a significant improvement in cognitive functioning.
Originality/value
This study suggests there may be a significant amount of unidentified cognitive impairment amongst older adults attending alcohol treatment. Assessment and routine screening for cognitive impairment in drug and alcohol services may help in care planning and setting treatment goals; in the absence of routine screening opportunities for treatment planning and intervention may be missed.
Details
Keywords
Grazia Catalano, Jonathan Mason, Claire Elise Brolan, Siobhan Loughnan and David Harley
The authors reviewed studies of validated tools to screen for cognitive impairment among prisoners. The purpose of this paper is to assist organisations in identifying cognitive…
Abstract
Purpose
The authors reviewed studies of validated tools to screen for cognitive impairment among prisoners. The purpose of this paper is to assist organisations in identifying cognitive impairment in correctional facilities.
Design/methodology/approach
A targeted literature review identified peer-reviewed articles on screening of adults in jails, prisons, police watch-houses, custody suites, rehabilitation facilities and forensic settings or community settings for offenders. Validation of screening tools in secure settings, psychometric properties and cultural discrimination is included in this review.
Findings
Eight screening tools are considered suitable for use in correctional settings. Two screening tools are recommended for cognitive impairment, one is recommended for adaptive functioning assessment and one is recommended for screening of brain injury. Two screening tools are noted to be subject to piloting and further development for use with First Nations people, and two screening tools for cognitive impairment are noted for positive consideration.
Research limitations/implications
Recommendations for screening tools are based on review only and evaluation was infeasible.
Practical implications
Short, reliable measures of cognitive ability for use in correctional facilities are needed. Such tools must be appropriate with respect to their purpose, feasible within the clinical capability of staff and sufficiently cheap to administer to allow widespread use.
Originality/value
Screening of prisoners for cognitive impairment allows early detection to facilitate rehabilitation and therapy. This research is at the systems level. Therefore, the authors do not purport to provide guidance for individual clinicians.
Details
Keywords
Ida Untari, Achmad Arman Subijanto, Dyah Kurnia Mirawati, Ari Natalia Probandari and Rossi Sanusi
The purpose of this paper is to conduct systematic reviews on Indonesian papers, to examine the most recent evidence of the efficacy of the combination of cognitive training and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to conduct systematic reviews on Indonesian papers, to examine the most recent evidence of the efficacy of the combination of cognitive training and physical exercise, and to make recommendations in order to improve prevention, care and treatment services in elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
Design/methodology/approach
The databases of Cochrane, Medline, NIH (US National Library Medicine), ProQuest, EbscoHost, Clinical Key, EMBASE, Medical Librarian (TWE) in Ovid, Science Direct, Scopus, The Lancet Global Health, PubMed, Emerald, Indonesian National Library, Google Scholar, Google Indonesia, and Garuda Portal were systematically searched using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines to obtain empirical papers published between June 1976 and January 2018.
Findings
Out of the 3,293 articles collected, 10 were included in this analysis. The result of this combined meta-analysis compares the combination therapy group (cognitive therapy and physical exercise) with a control group. It shows that the control group was likely to experience MCI 1.65 times more often than the combination therapy group. According to the result acquired from the synthesized meta-analysis, the control group experienced MCI 1.65 times higher than the combination therapy. The finding is proven to be statistically significant (95% CI= 1.42–1.93).
Research limitations/implications
The research considers only English and Indonesian articles.
Practical implications
It is important to explore the most effective training characteristics in a special combined intervention differentiated by the duration, frequency, intervention, type and combination mode. There is a need for further investigation that focuses on the physiological mechanisms underlying the positive effects, by inserting a more comprehensive neuro-imaging measurement to assess specifically the domain that benefits in terms of cognitive functions and molecular markers. Finally, exploratory studies are definitely required, which will specifically examine maintenance and treatment effects as well as derive theoretical explanations related to the interventions and predictors.
Social implications
A combination of cognitive training and physical exercise intervention may improve the global health or cognitive functions.
Originality/value
A combination of cognitive training and physical exercise has been found to improve prevention, care and treatment services in elderly patients with MCI. There is an increase in value in comparison to the study of Karssemeijer, which considered five Indonesian articles.
Details
Keywords
Grazia Catalano, Jonathan Mason, Claire Elise Brolan, Siobhan Loughnan and David Harley
This literature review identifies instruments for diagnostic assessment of cognitive impairment in prison populations. The purpose of this paper is to promote procedures for early…
Abstract
Purpose
This literature review identifies instruments for diagnostic assessment of cognitive impairment in prison populations. The purpose of this paper is to promote procedures for early screening and identification of cognitive impairment using instruments appropriate to prisons.
Design/methodology/approach
A targeted literature review identified studies on screening and diagnostic assessment of adults in jails, prisons, police watch-houses (custody suites), rehabilitation facilities and forensic settings or community settings for offenders. Discriminant validity, suitability, reliability and feasibility of instruments in correctional and forensic settings are presented.
Findings
From 135 peer-reviewed articles relating to diagnostic assessment of cognitive impairment, 15 instruments were considered appropriate for use in prison settings.
Research limitations/implications
Selection of instruments for prison use considers suitability of the instrument(s) and clinical workforce capability. Cultural and gender validity of the instrument, its feasibility for use in the prison environment and cost and time to administer are also important. Using appropriate tools as part of a staged and targeted process in the screening and diagnosis of cognitive impairment is demonstrated by two case vignettes presented in this paper. As this was a desk review, the authors did not evaluate the instruments.
Originality/value
Identification of instruments that are suitable for diagnosis of cognitive impairment in forensic populations informs the rehabilitation of offenders with cognitive impairment in prison and upon release to probation and parole.
Details
Keywords
Giulio Lancioni, Lorenzo Desideri, Nirbhay Singh, Mark O'Reilly and Jeff Sigafoos
The purpose of this paper is to review studies that evaluated technology-based prompting systems for supporting participants with dementia or acquired cognitive impairment in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review studies that evaluated technology-based prompting systems for supporting participants with dementia or acquired cognitive impairment in their performance of multistep daily tasks.
Design/methodology/approach
A scoping review was conducted to identify eligible studies through a search of four electronic databases, that is, PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Findings
The search, which covered the 2010–2020 period, led to the identification of 1,311 articles, 30 of which were included in the review. These articles evaluated six different types of prompting systems: context-aware, automatic computer prompting, context-aware, mediated computer prompting, teleoperated robot prompting, self-operated augmented reality prompting, self-operated computer or tablet prompting and time-based (preset) computer, tablet or smartphone prompting.
Originality/value
Technology-aided prompting to help people with dementia or acquired cognitive impairment perform relevant multistep daily tasks is considered increasingly important. This review provides a picture of the different prompting options available and of their level of readiness for application in daily contexts.
Details
Keywords
Chang-Hoon Gong and Shinichi Sato
The purpose of this study is to find out a simple cognitive intervention method to use MCI and suffering people with depression. As the elderly society increases around the world…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to find out a simple cognitive intervention method to use MCI and suffering people with depression. As the elderly society increases around the world, the number of elderly people with diseases and dementia is increasing rapidly. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a pre-stage to dementia, is a critical treatment time to slow disease progression. However, there is currently no appropriate medication. Furthermore, MCI patients with depression are more difficult to treat.
Design/methodology/approach
To overcome these problems, the authors confirmed improvements and delayed effects in MCI patients in this study for three years through cognitive intervention, demonstrating its effectiveness. Cognitive interventions were conducted for memory retrieval and steadily stimulated the brain by performing tasks to solve problems during daily conversations.
Findings
As a result, the intervention group retained mini-mental state examination and Montreal cognitive assessment scores on the domains of cognitive function and also instrumental activities of daily living in the domain of motion compared to the non-intervention group. Moreover, significant improvements in geriatric depression scales-15 and quality-of-life scales enabled the patients to maintain stable living compared to before the intervention. In addition, the intervention group showed a change in patterns that allowed them to voluntarily devote time to going out at the end of the study.
Research limitations/implications
This study was originally planned to compare the rates of transmission from MCI to dementia by tracking over five years (2016–2021). However, due to the impact of COVID-19, which began to spread around the world in 2020, further face-to-face visits and cognitive intervention became impossible. Thus, only half of the data in the existing plans were collected. Although it is difficult to present accurate results for the rate of transmission from MCI to dementia, the tendency was confirmed, indicating sufficient implications as an intervention.
Originality/value
This study was originally planned to compare the rates of transmission from MCI to dementia by tracking three years (2016–2019). The authors had studied for long-term effect.
Details
Keywords
Marco O. Bertelli, Kerim Munir, James Harris and Luis Salvador-Carulla
The debate as to whether intellectual disability (ID) should be conceptualized as a health condition or as a disability has intensified as the revision of World Health…
Abstract
Purpose
The debate as to whether intellectual disability (ID) should be conceptualized as a health condition or as a disability has intensified as the revision of World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) International Classification of Diseases (ICD) is being finalized. Defining ID as a health condition is central to retaining it in ICD, with significant implications for health policy and access to health services. The purpose of this paper is to include some reflections on the consensus document produced by the first WHO Working Group on the Classification of MR (WHO WG-MR) and on the process that was followed to realize it. The consensus report was the basis for the development of official recommendations sent to the WHO Advisory Group for ICD-11.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed qualitative approach was followed in a series of meetings leading to the final consensus report submitted to the WHO Advisory group. These recommendations combined prior expert knowledge with available evidence; a nominal approach was followed throughout with face-to-face conferences.
Findings
The WG recommended a synonym set (“synset”) ontological approach to the conceptualisation of this health condition underlying a clinical rationale for its diagnosis. It proposed replacing MR with Intellectual Developmental Disorders (IDD) in ICD-11, defined as “a group of developmental conditions characterized by a significant impairment of cognitive functions, which are associated with limitations of learning, adaptive behaviour and skills”. The WG further advised that IDD be included under the parent category of neurodevelopmental disorders, that current distinctions (mild, moderate, severe and profound) be continued as severity qualifiers, and that problem behaviours removed from its core classification structure and instead described as associated features.
Originality/value
Within the ID/IDD synset two different names combine distinct aspects under a single construct that describes its clinical as well as social, educational and policy utilities. The single construct incorporates IDD as a clinical meta-syndrome, and ID as its functioning and disability counterpart. IDD and ID are not synonymous or mirror concepts as they have different scientific, social and policy applications. New diagnostic criteria for IDD should be based on a developmental approach, which accounts for the complex causal factors known to impact the acquisition of specific cognitive abilities and adaptive behaviours. The paper focuses on a new clinical framework for the diagnosis of IDD that also includes and complements the existing social, educational and policy components inherent in ID.
Details
Keywords
The assessment of cognitive impairment in community services for older people remains under-explored. The paper aims to discuss this issue.
Abstract
Purpose
The assessment of cognitive impairment in community services for older people remains under-explored. The paper aims to discuss this issue.
Design/methodology/approach
Cognitive impairment was examined in 25 people aged 65 and over with alcohol use disorders, on the caseload of community mental health services over a six-month period. All subjects assessed using Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Assessment (ACE-III).
Findings
In total, 76 per cent of the group scored below the cut-off point for likely dementia but only 45 per cent of people scored below the cut-off point for tests of language, compared with 68-84 per cent people in other domains.
Research limitations/implications
This finding has implications for the detection of alcohol-related brain cognitive impairment in clinical settings.
Practical implications
Standardised cognitive testing is common within mental health services for older people, but may also have utility within addiction services.
Social implications
The early detection of alcohol-related cognitive impairment can improve social outcomes in both drinking behaviour and the social consequences of alcohol-related dementia.
Originality/value
This may be the first published study of cognitive impairment in patients under a mental team for older people with alcohol use disorders and offers some unique findings within this sampling frame.
Details