"There has to be more caring": patient and care partner experiences of the disclosure of amyloid-β PET scan results.

Objectives: To explore patient and care partner experiences of receiving an amyloid scan result, with a focus on how clinician disclosure practices influenced patient and care partner emotional responses to the scan result and/or diagnosis.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews with 38 people with mild cognitive impairment or dementia and 62 care partners who experienced the disclosure of results from an amyloid PET scan as part of the CARE-IDEAS study. We used thematic analysis to analyze interview transcripts.

Persons With Cognitive Impairment and Care Partner Motivations and Experiences of Undergoing an Amyloid Scan: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies.

Background And Objectives: Amyloid positron emission tomography scans can enhance the accuracy of dementia diagnoses. However, the perspectives and experiences of people with cognitive impairment and their care partners undergoing an amyloid scan are less well understood. Therefore, this review aimed to identify and summarize qualitative studies exploring patient and care partner experiences of undergoing an amyloid scan.

Beta amyloid PET scans for dementia diagnoses: Practice and research implications from CARE-IDEAS.

Beta amyloid PET scans are a minimally invasive biomarker that may inform Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosis. The Caregiver's Reactions and Experience (CARE) study, an IDEAS supplement, aimed to understand experiences of PET scan recipients and their care partners regarding motivations for scans, reporting and interpreting results, and impact of results. Patients with mild cognitive impairment or dementia who agreed to join the CARE-IDEAS study and their care partners participated in a baseline survey and follow-up survey approximately 18 months later, supplemented by in-depth qualitative interviews with subsets of participants.

A qualitative study of informal caregiver perceptions of the benefits of an early dementia diagnosis.

Background: Current and former dementia policies in the United Kingdom (UK) recommend diagnosing dementia early, or as close to the onset of symptoms as possible. Informal caregivers play an important role in initiating the diagnostic process and providing support to people living with dementia. Therefore, this study aimed to explore caregiver perceptions of the benefits of an early diagnosis.

Elevated Amyloid-β PET Scan and Cognitive and Functional Decline in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia of Uncertain Etiology.

Background: Elevated amyloid-β (Aβ) on positron emission tomography (PET) scan is used to aid diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but many prior studies have focused on patients with a typical AD phenotype such as amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Little is known about whether elevated Aβ on PET scan predicts rate of cognitive and functional decline among those with MCI or dementia that is clinically less typical of early AD, thus leading to etiologic uncertainty.

Objective: We aimed to investigate whether elevated Aβ on PET scan predicts cognitive and functional decline over an 18-month period in those with MCI or dementia of uncertain etiology.

Psychosocial and Behavioral Outcomes for Persons With Cognitive Impairment and Caregivers Following Amyloid-β PET Scan Disclosure: A Systematic Review.

Background: Positron emission tomography (PET) scans for amyloid-β can aid in the early and accurate detection of Alzheimer disease. The results of amyloid PET scans could help people with cognitive impairment and caregivers better understand their diagnosis; however, there are concerns that they could also cause psychological harm.

Methods: A systematic review of psychosocial and behavioral quantitative outcomes following the disclosure of an amyloid PET scan for persons living with cognitive impairment (subjective cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's Disease, and other dementias) and caregivers.

Non-pharmacological interventions for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in older adults: A systematic review.

Background: STIs in older adults (adults aged 50 years and older) are on the rise due to variable levels of sex literacy and misperceived susceptibility to infections, among other factors. We systematically reviewed evidence on the effect of non-pharmacological interventions for the primary prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and high-risk sexual behaviour in older adults.

Methods: We searched EMBASE, MEDLINE, PSYCINFO, Global Health and the Cochrane Library from inception until March 9th, 2022.

Prevalence and incidence of depressive symptoms and diagnosis of depression as associated with elevated amyloid among Medicare beneficiaries with cognitive impairment.

Background: Depression and cognitive impairment commonly co-occur, and it has been hypothesized that the two share pathological processes. Our objective for this study was to determine the relationship between elevated β-amyloid level and the prevalence and incidence of depressive symptoms and diagnosed depression over two years among fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries with cognitive impairment.

Methods: We utilized data from the CARE-IDEAS cohort study (N = 2078) including two measures of depressive symptoms (PHQ-2) and administrative claims data to identify pre-scan and incident depression diagnosis in subsample of fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries (N = 1443).

"I know that my role is going to change": a mixed-methods study of the relationship between amyloid-β PET scan results and caregiver burden.

Background: Caregiver burden consists of disease specific and perceived stressors, respectively referred to as objective and subjective indicators of burden, and is associated with negative outcomes. Previous research has found that care partners to persons living with cognitive impairment and elevated levels of amyloid-β, as measured by a positron emission tomography (PET) scan, may experience caregiver burden.

Aims: To elucidate the relationship between amyloid scan results and subjective and objective indicators of burden.

Advance directives among cognitively impaired persons who had an amyloid PET scan and their care partners: a mixed-methods study.

Background: Little research exists on the role of β-amyloid PET scans as part of Alzheimer's diagnostic tests and documentation of end-of-life preferences for persons with cognitive impairment. The study objectives were to examine the association of amyloid PET scan results (elevated vs. not elevated amyloid levels) and diagnostic category (mild cognitive impairment vs.

Differences in survival and mortality in minority ethnic groups with dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: Although there are disparities in both risk of developing dementia and accessibility of dementia services for certain minority ethnic groups in the United States and United Kingdom, disparities in survival after a dementia diagnosis are less well-studied. Our objective was to systematically review the literature to investigate racial/ethnic differences in survival and mortality in dementia.

Methods: We searched Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, Global Health and PsycINFO from inception to November 2018 for studies comparing survival or mortality over time in at least two race/ethnicity groups.

The association between an early diagnosis of dementia and secondary health service use.

Background: dementia policy suggests diagnosing dementia early can reduce the risk of potentially harmful hospital admissions or emergency department (ED) attendances; however, there is little evidence to support this. A diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) before dementia is a helpful proxy to explore early diagnosis. This study investigated the association between an early diagnosis of dementia and subsequent hospitalisations and ED attendances.

The Association Between a Previous Diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment as a Proxy for an Early Diagnosis of Dementia and Mortality: A Study of Secondary Care Electronic Health Records.

Background: Dementia policy states that the early diagnosis of dementia can keep people living well for longer; however, there is little robust evidence to support this. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is considered a prodrome to dementia and can aid with the earlier diagnosis of dementia.

Objective: The objective of this study was to use a previous diagnosis of MCI, before dementia, as a proxy for early diagnosis to investigate the relationship between an early diagnosis and mortality.

Access to Health Services in Older Minority Ethnic Groups with Dementia: A Systematic Review.

Background/objectives: While it is acknowledged that minority ethnic (ME) groups across international settings face barriers to accessing care for dementia, it is not clear whether ME groups access services less frequently as a result. The objective of this review is to examine whether ME groups have longer delays before accessing dementia/memory services, higher use of acute care and crisis services and lower use of routine care services based on existing literature. We also examined whether ME groups had higher dementia severity or lower cognition when presenting to memory services.

Outcomes tested in non-pharmacological interventions in mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia: a scoping review.

Objectives: Non-pharmacological treatments are an important aspect of dementia care. A wide range of interventions have been trialled for mild dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, the variety of outcome measures used in these trials makes it difficult to make meaningful comparisons.

People with intellectual disabilities at the end of their lives: The case for specialist care?

Background: People with intellectual disabilities have a shorter life expectancy, but healthcare improvements mean that they are beginning to live longer, with associated health difficulties. This means that there is an urgent need to focus research on ageing as well as end-of-life care. This study aimed to explore a specialist intellectual disability service for older people who are dying and how it related to their quality of life and to costs associated with care provided.