Disclosure of Alzheimer's disease. Senior citizens' opinions

Can Fam Physician. 2004 Dec:50:1671-7.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the proportion of elderly people without dementia who would want disclosure of a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), for themselves or for their spouses, and to verify whether the availability of medication would influence their decision.

Design: A cross-sectional survey with a semistructured questionnaire completed during face-to-face interviews.

Setting: Medical and surgical outpatient clinics in St Mary's Hospital Center.

Participants: 204 subjects 65 years or older with at most mild cognitive impairment.

Main outcome measures: Percentage of positive responses for disclosure of a diagnosis of AD to self or to spouse, with or without medication.

Results: Nearly all (98%) subjects wanted disclosure for themselves. Most (78%) wanted disclosure for their potentially afflicted spouses when medication was said to be unavailable. This proportion increased to 97%, however, if medication was available.

Conclusion: Most participants requested honesty for themselves. Most wanted disclosure to a potentially affected spouse when medication is said to be available.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Alzheimer Disease* / drug therapy
  • Attitude to Health*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Male
  • Marital Status
  • Spouses
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Truth Disclosure*