Increased Reporting Accuracy of Alzheimer Disease Symptoms in Caribbean Hispanic Informants

Martina Azar, Carolyn Zhu, Brittany DeFeis, Yian Gu, Katherine Ornstein, Siobhan Lawless, Stephanie Cosentino

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

Introduction: Informant report of symptoms is essential for diagnosing and characterizing Alzheimer disease (AD). Differences in the perception and experience of dementia across ethnicities may influence informant report. Understanding such differences is critical given that among those with AD, Hispanics are disproportionately affected. Methods: Cross-sectional analyses examined informant report of cognitive and functional symptoms in mild AD across white (n=107) and Caribbean Hispanic (n=71) informants. To explore its accuracy, informant report of symptoms was compared against objective measures of patient performance. Results: Adjusted analyses revealed Hispanics reported more symptoms than white informants. Informant report of symptoms was inversely correlated with patients' global cognition in both ethnic groups. Only Hispanic report of symptoms was significantly associated with memory and language performance. Discussion: Informant report of symptoms was associated with patients' global cognition, reflecting relatively accurate informant reports in both ethnic groups, and was stronger in Hispanics when examining memory and language. Such differences may reflect cultural caregiving practices and perceptions of dementia, having implications for diagnosis and treatment.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)328-334
Number of pages7
JournalAlzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders
Volume31
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 2017

Keywords

  • accuracy
  • cognition
  • dementia
  • ethnicity
  • informant report

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