Quality of life in people with early Alzheimer´s disease
What is it about?
The researchers administered a battery of different self-report instruments in a sample of 149 patients with early Alzheimer's disease (AD) to gather information on quality of life, mood, stigma, life satisfaction, self-efficacy, and understanding of the illness and its consequences. The study found that eighty-three percent of patients had moderate-to-severe hopelessness, 22.1% had depressive symptoms, and 36.9% felt stigmatized. The quality of life showed significant negative correlations with depression, subjective emotional and practical consequences, stigma, and hopelessness.
Why is it important?
Stigma, depressive symptoms and feelings of hopelessness are common problems in early stages of AD, even in a population with a short disease duration and minimal cognitive impairment. Understanding patients' perceptions may facilitate adopting specific strategies to develop psychological resources to foster living well with AD.