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Biomedical subjects

A F Jorm

Publications and source records attributed to A F Jorm.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Effects on care-givers of special day care programmes for dementia sufferers.

Two groups of care-givers to dementia sufferers were interviewed to assess their psychological symptoms and the behaviour problems of the dementia sufferers. The first group were using special dementia day care while the second group were about to begin using it. The second group were re-interviewed three months later. Therefore two comparisons could be made; a with/without day care comparison and a before/after admission to day care comparison. Care-givers had a high level of psychological symptoms which were not significantly reduced by using day care. Full-time institutional care did reduce distress. Day centre clients continued to deteriorate as would be expected with a degenerative condition. While special dementia day care centres appear to play a useful role for many care-givers, they may provide too few hours relief per week to markedly reduce the care-givers' psychological symptoms. Family care-givers currently take the major role in caring for dementia sufferers in the community and the burden of care needs to be shared more equitably.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1989

The Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE): socio-demographic correlates, reliability, validity and some norms.

The IQCODE is a questionnaire which asks an informant about changes in an elderly person's everyday cognitive function. The questionnaire aims to assess cognitive decline independent of pre-morbid ability. In the present study, the IQCODE was administered to a sample of 613 informants from the general population. In addition, the questionnaire was administered to informants of 309 dementing subjects who had filled it out one year previously. A principal components analysis, using the general population sample, confirmed that the IQCODE measures a general factor of cognitive decline. The questionnaire was found to have high internal reliability in the general population sample (alpha = 0.95) and reasonably high test-retest reliability over one year in the dementing sample (r = 0.75). The total IQCODE score, as well as each of the 26-items, was found to discriminate well between the general population and dementing samples. The correlation with education was quite small (r = -0.13), indicating that contamination by premorbid ability is not a problem.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

An analysis of the re-test artefact in longitudinal studies of psychiatric symptoms and personality.

When general population samples are assessed on two occasions with psychiatric symptom or personality measures, a mean change in scores towards less psychopathology is often observed. This re-test artefact is a potential threat to the validity of longitudinal studies. Data from a longitudinal general population study were analysed to discover under what circumstances the re-test artefact occurs. It was found that the artefact is unrelated to the time lag between occasions, being equally strong at intervals ranging from 4 to 34 weeks. However, the artefact did not occur for all measures, but was confined to those assessing negative self-characteristics and administered orally by an interviewer. These findings are consistent with both the 'mechanical responding' and 'social desirability' hypotheses of the re-test artefact.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Regional differences in mortality from dementia in Australia: an analysis of death certificate data.

Australian death certificate data were analysed to determine whether they can provide useful information on regional differences in the prevalence of dementia. Strong differences between the Australian states were found in the prevalence of dementing disorders at death. However, evidence indicated that death certification practices influenced the prevalence rates found: a) the reported prevalence of various dementing disorders at death has changed greatly over quite a short period; b) the prevalence of dementing disorders at death was more strongly influenced by place of death than by place of birth; and c) the differences between states were a result of very high rates in particular regions which, in one case, could be traced to the death certification practices of a single medical practitioner. It is concluded that death certificate data are not useful for investigating regional differences in the prevalence of dementia.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Modifiability of trait anxiety and neuroticism: a meta-analysis of the literature.

It is argued that personality scales of neuroticism and anxiety are tapping the same personality trait and that this is a risk factor for neurotic disorders. To see whether this trait is modifiable, a meta-analysis was carried out of therapy outcome studies which included a measure of trait anxiety or neuroticism as a dependent measure. This meta-analysis showed that all psychological therapies are to some extent effective. However, rational-emotive and related therapies produced particularly large reductions in trait anxiety/neuroticism (around 1.25 standard deviations). The possibility that rational-emotive education programmes could be used to lower trait anxiety/neuroticism as a preventive measure is discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1989

Use of private psychiatric services in Australia: an analysis of Medicare data.

An analysis of Medicare data for the 1985-86 financial year showed that the distribution of private psychiatric services varied greatly by age and sex. Females were greater users than males, except in childhood where the opposite was true. Service use was lowest for children and for the elderly and highest for the 35-44 year old group. Amongst patients receiving psychiatric services, elderly people were more likely to receive short consultations and ECT. These findings carry considerable implications for health service policy and for medical education.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Educational level differences on the Mini-Mental State: the role of test bias.

Less educated elderly people are commonly found to perform more poorly on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). This educational level difference has been attributed by some research workers to test bias. To assess whether the MMSE is biased against the poorly educated, its validity was assessed separately in the more- and less-educated members of a community sample. No evidence was found to indicate that the test is a biased measure of cognitive impairment.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Projected increases in the number of dementia cases for 29 developed countries: application of a new method for making projections.

A method is described for making projections of increases in dementia cases over a given base year. The method is based on a statistical model relating dementia prevalence to age that is derived from the results of all published prevalence studies. This method was applied to United Nations population projections for 29 developed countries to arrive at expected increases in number of dementia cases in each country for the period 1980 to 2025.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Assessment of cognitive decline in the elderly by informant interview.

Cognitive decline in a sample of 64 elderly people was assessed by a standardised informant interview dealing with changes in memory and intelligence which had taken place in the previous 10 years. Scores from the interview were found to correlate (r = 0.74) with the Mini-Mental State Examination. Moreover, the informant interview was found to be less affected by pre-morbid ability than the MMSE. Direct assessment of decline by informants may be a solution to the problem of contamination by pre-morbid ability which affects traditional cognitive screening instruments.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

A method for calculating projected increases in the number of dementia sufferers.

A new method of projecting increases in the number of dementia cases is described. This method is based on a statistical analysis of all published prevalence studies which shows that prevalence rate rises exponentially with age. The method can be easily applied to any age-specific population projections. When applied to Australia and New Zealand, the method shows that the increase in dementia will greatly exceed the total population growth rate, and even surpass the expected rise in the elderly group over the next third of a century. The method predicts that the Australian demented population will increase by 136-139% between 1984 and 2021, compared to a general population increase of only 42-54%. Over the period 1982 to 2016, the New Zealand demented population will grow by 96-100% against a rise of 18-26% in the general population. The validity of this method and its implication for future service demands are discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

The prevalence of dementia: a quantitative integration of the literature.

Data from studies of dementia prevalence between 1945 to 1985 were analyzed statistically. Prevalence rates were found to vary as a function of methodological differences between studies. However, despite these differences, the relationship between prevalence and age was found to be consistent across studies, with rates doubling every 5.1 years. Across studies, Alzheimer's disease (AD) was found to be more common in women, with a tendency for multi-infarct dementia (MID) to be more common in men. There were also national differences in the relative prevalence of AD and MID, with MID being more common in Japanese and Russian studies, no difference in Finnish and American studies, and an excess of AD in other Western European countries.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1987

Sex differences in neuroticism: a quantitative synthesis of published research.

The personality trait of neuroticism is thought to be an important risk factor for depression. To ascertain the possible role of neuroticism in producing sex differences in depression, a meta-analysis was carried out on published studies reporting sex- and age-specific norms for neuroticism inventories. A general sex difference was found, with females having higher scores. However, the sex difference was greater in young and middle-aged adults than in children or the very elderly. This age trend in sex differences for neuroticism is similar in form to that previously reported for depression, except that the sex difference for depression completely disappeared in the very young and very old, but the sex difference in neuroticism did not.

Depressive Disorder↗
PubMed1987

Evaluation of a special nursing home unit for dementia sufferers: a randomised controlled comparison with community care.

Applicants for a newly opened special unit for dementia sufferers were randomly allocated to full-time care in the unit or placed on a waiting list and offered periodic respite care in the meantime. All applicants were living in the community at the time of random assignment. Both groups were followed up for three months to assess the effects on the dementia sufferers and on their family care-givers. Care-givers initially had a high level of psychological symptoms, which was greatly reduced after admission of the dementia sufferer to full-time care. By contrast, the care-givers of the community care group of sufferers continued to have a high level of symptoms. Dementia sufferers continued to deteriorate with both forms of care, with little difference between the two groups. Admission of dementia sufferers to full-time care in a special unit appears to be of great benefit to the psychological health of their care-givers and has no adverse effects on the dementia sufferers themselves.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1987

Sex and age differences in depression: a quantitative synthesis of published research.

It is commonly believed that depression is more common in females than in males. A quantitative synthesis of published research showed, however, that the sex difference is age specific. There is little sex difference in either childhood or advanced old age, but a notable sex difference in middle life. This sex difference appears because rates for females rise sharply from childhood to adulthood and then decline somewhat in old age. By contrast, rates for males show a small rise in early adulthood but are otherwise fairly stable throughout life. The age-specific nature of these sex differences may be explainable in terms of differences in social roles at various ages.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Controlled and automatic information processing in senile dementia: a review.

The evidence on cognitive decline in senile dementia is reviewed with respect to the distinction between controlled and automatic processing. It is argued that controlled processing, which requires the attentional resources of the individual, declines in early senile dementia. However, automatic processing, which does not require attentional resources, is well maintained until late in the disorder. Implications of this view are drawn for the development of effective screening instruments which can be used for the early detection of dementia in the general population.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

Behaviour problems in specific reading retarded and general reading backward children: a longitudinal study.

A sample of 453 Australian children was followed over the first three years of schooling. Behaviour problems were assessed at the beginning of the first year at school and at the end of the second and third years. At the end of the third year the children were classified as specific reading retarded, general reading backward or normal. At school entry backward readers were found to have behaviour problems, principally relating to attentional deficit. It was concluded that this factor may play a causative role in their reading difficulty. Retarded readers, on the other hand, showed no evidence of behaviour problems.

Antisocial Personality Disorder↗