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Disclosing a diagnosis of dementia: a systematic review

Disclosing a diagnosis of dementia: a systematic review
Disclosing a diagnosis of dementia: a systematic review
Background: the issue of diagnostic disclosure in dementia has been debated extensively in professional journals, but empirical data concerning disclosure in dementia has not previously been systematically reviewed.

Objective: to review empirical data regarding diagnostic disclosure in dementia.

Methods: five electronic databases were searched up to September 2003 (Medline, Embase, Cinahl, Sociological Abstracts, Web of Science). Additional references were identified through hand searches of selected journals and bibliographies of relevant articles and books. The title and abstract of each identified paper were reviewed independently by two reviewers against pre-determined inclusion criteria: original data about disclosure were presented and the paper was in English. Any disagreements were resolved by discussion until consensus was reached. Data were extracted independently by two reviewers using a structured abstraction form. Data quality were not formally assessed although each study was critically reviewed in terms of methodology, sampling criteria, response rates and appropriateness of analysis.

Results: fifty-nine papers met the inclusion criteria for detailed review. Many of the studies had methodological shortcomings. The studies reported wide variability in all areas of beliefs and attitudes to diagnostic disclosure and reported practice. Studies of the impact of disclosure indicate both negative and positive consequences of diagnostic disclosure for people with dementia and their carers.

Conclusions: existing evidence regarding diagnostic disclosure in dementia is both inconsistent and limited with the perspectives of people with dementia being largely neglected. This state of knowledge seems at variance with current guidance about disclosure
alzheimer's disease, dementia, diagnosis, disclosure, systematic review
151-169
Bamford, Claire
3bc4f918-dec2-4657-9fd8-693b6a2759b0
Lamont, Sharon
5bae21f6-a0cb-4645-929f-075f331db853
Eccles, Martin
3f686d76-2b03-41af-986a-9191a906b739
Robinson, Louise
efc22243-4c35-488d-ac9e-85470df26941
May, Carl
17697f8d-98f6-40d3-9cc0-022f04009ae4
Bond, John
330e95f0-b152-4eed-905f-3b0bfcc00417
Bamford, Claire
3bc4f918-dec2-4657-9fd8-693b6a2759b0
Lamont, Sharon
5bae21f6-a0cb-4645-929f-075f331db853
Eccles, Martin
3f686d76-2b03-41af-986a-9191a906b739
Robinson, Louise
efc22243-4c35-488d-ac9e-85470df26941
May, Carl
17697f8d-98f6-40d3-9cc0-022f04009ae4
Bond, John
330e95f0-b152-4eed-905f-3b0bfcc00417

Bamford, Claire, Lamont, Sharon, Eccles, Martin, Robinson, Louise, May, Carl and Bond, John (2004) Disclosing a diagnosis of dementia: a systematic review. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 19 (2), 151-169. (doi:10.1002/gps.1050).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background: the issue of diagnostic disclosure in dementia has been debated extensively in professional journals, but empirical data concerning disclosure in dementia has not previously been systematically reviewed.

Objective: to review empirical data regarding diagnostic disclosure in dementia.

Methods: five electronic databases were searched up to September 2003 (Medline, Embase, Cinahl, Sociological Abstracts, Web of Science). Additional references were identified through hand searches of selected journals and bibliographies of relevant articles and books. The title and abstract of each identified paper were reviewed independently by two reviewers against pre-determined inclusion criteria: original data about disclosure were presented and the paper was in English. Any disagreements were resolved by discussion until consensus was reached. Data were extracted independently by two reviewers using a structured abstraction form. Data quality were not formally assessed although each study was critically reviewed in terms of methodology, sampling criteria, response rates and appropriateness of analysis.

Results: fifty-nine papers met the inclusion criteria for detailed review. Many of the studies had methodological shortcomings. The studies reported wide variability in all areas of beliefs and attitudes to diagnostic disclosure and reported practice. Studies of the impact of disclosure indicate both negative and positive consequences of diagnostic disclosure for people with dementia and their carers.

Conclusions: existing evidence regarding diagnostic disclosure in dementia is both inconsistent and limited with the perspectives of people with dementia being largely neglected. This state of knowledge seems at variance with current guidance about disclosure

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More information

Published date: February 2004
Keywords: alzheimer's disease, dementia, diagnosis, disclosure, systematic review

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 163681
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/163681
PURE UUID: 395b2196-9d45-47c5-b3f5-3ecc67f6d0a1
ORCID for Carl May: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-0451-2690

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 10 Sep 2010 07:29
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:06

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Contributors

Author: Claire Bamford
Author: Sharon Lamont
Author: Martin Eccles
Author: Louise Robinson
Author: Carl May ORCID iD
Author: John Bond

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