International Psychogeriatrics

Table of Contents - 2006 - Volume 18, Issue 04  


An estimate of the prevalence of dementia among residents of long-term care geriatric institutions in the Jerusalem area

Helena Feldman a1, A. Mark Clarfield a2, Jenny Brodsky a3, Yaron King a3 and Tzvi Dwolatzky a1c1
a1 Department of Geriatrics and Memory Clinic, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, and Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheva, Israel
a2 Department of Geriatrics, Soroka Hospital, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheva, Israel and Division of Geriatric Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
a3 Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute, Jerusalem, Israel

Article author query
feldman h   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
clarfield am   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
brodsky j   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
king y   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
dwolatzky t   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 

Abstract

Background: To determine the prevalence of dementia among the residents of geriatric institutions in the greater Jerusalem area.

Methods: A population-based, cross-sectional survey of a representative sample, weighted according to the level of care, of 11 of the 88 long-term care (LTC) wards in 34 LTC institutions providing care for the elderly residents in the greater Jerusalem area in 1999. A single physician interviewed 311 residents. The presence of dementia was determined from medical records and by performance on the Modified Mini-mental State Examination (3MS) instrument (with a score less than 78/100 indicating significant cognitive impairment or suspected dementia), and professional care providers were interviewed for their opinion regarding the presence of dementia in each subject.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 83.9 years and 75% were women. Overall, 180 residents, representing 49.9% of the weighted sample in Jerusalem LTC facilities, were determined to have dementia according to medical records, ranging from 22.9% in independent and frail care units to 97.7% in skilled nursing care wards. However, based on their performance on the 3MS, the prevalence of cognitive impairment with suspected dementia among the subjects was substantially greater, with the staff being unaware of this diagnosis in about one-quarter of the subjects.

Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of dementia in geriatric institutions in the Jerusalem area, particularly in those providing greater care. Moreover, significant cognitive impairment is probably under-reported in the medical records.

(Received June 3 2005)
(returned for revision August 10 2005)
(revised version received November 4 2005)
(Accepted November 4 2005)
(Published Online March 31 2006)


Key Words: dementia; epidemiology; mental state examination.

Correspondence:
c1 Correspondence should be addressed to: Tzvi Dwolatzky, Department of Geriatrics and Memory Clinic, Mental Health Center, P.O. Box 4600, Beersheva, 84170 Israel. Phone: +972 2 9931686; Fax: +972 2 9932975. Email: tzvidov@bgu.ac.il

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