DIFFERENCES IN PREVALENCE OF DEMENTIA BASED ON COMMUNITY SURVEY AND GENERAL-PRACTITIONER RECOGNITION

A study was conducted, which simultaneously used GPs and epidemiologic al assessment procedures (MMSE, CAMDEX), to identify individuals with DSM-III-R dementia in the same population. In addition, a 1-year follo w-up assessment was conducted in patients with a CAMDEX-diagnosis of d ementia. In the non-institutionalized group, which was assessed both b y the GP and with the epidemiological test battery, the prevalence of dementia according to the GP was 2.2%, whereas the prevalence based on the epidemiological approach amounted to 5.2%. In general CAMDEX-diag noses of dementia were confirmed at 1-year follow-up, and thus the dis crepancy between the two prevalence estimates must be attributed to th e low sensitivity of the GPs. Sensitivity of the GP was related to hel p-seeking behaviour, with low sensitivity in patients with a low conta ct rate. It was also related to the use of less specific diagnostic la bels by the GP (cognitive impairment), and to poor recognition of cogn itive impairment in patients who visited their GP.