Effects of training Community Health Agents on dementia: a quasi-experimental study.

Objectives: to evaluate the knowledge of Community Health Agents about dementia before and after the training workshop for detecting signs of the disease.

Methods: a quasi-experimental study with 33 community agents, in which sociodemographic information and knowledge about dementia were collected and assessed using the Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale before and after the workshop. There were 10 weekly, online, synchronous meetings.

Effects of the Tailored Activity Program in Brazil (TAP-BR) for Persons With Dementia: A Randomized Pilot Trial.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of the Tailored Activity Program-Brazilian version (TAP-BR), on behavioral symptoms and the quality of life (QOL) in persons with dementia, as well as on their caregivers, and on caregiver burden.

Materials And Methods: A 2-group randomized controlled trial with 30 dyads was conducted: the experimental group (n=15) received TAP-BR over 4 months, and a wait-list control group (n=15) received usual care. Dyads were recruited from the community of Santos City, Brazil.

Validation of the Brazilian version of the quality of life scale for patients with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers (QOL-AD).

Quality of life (QOL) has been extensively studied in clinical trials and in research on chronic degenerative diseases and dementia. The aim of this study was to assess the reliability and construct validity of the Brazilian version of the QOL scale in Alzheimer's disease (AD; QOL-AD). The QOL-AD was administered to 60 patients with mild or moderate AD and to their caregivers.

The influence of neuropsychiatric and functional changes on quality of life in Alzheimer's disease.

Unlabelled: To investigate the influence of neuropsychiatric manifestations and functional performance on quality of life (QOL) of AD patients and their caregivers/family members.

Methods: The QOL-AD scale, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Cornell and Beck Scales for Depression, Physical and Instrumental-Self Maintenance scales (AIDL and ADL) and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) were applied to 60 patients with probable AD, mild (n=30) or moderate (n=30) dementia, according to NINCDS-ADRDA and DSM-III-R criteria, respectively, and to their caregivers/family members. The total scores on the three QOL-AD versions were correlated with the measures previously mentioned.

Cross-cultural adaptation of the quality of life assessment scale on Alzheimer disease.

Objective: To present the internal validation of the quality of life (QOL) evaluation scale for patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and their caregivers/family members, proposed by Logsdon et al.

Method: The scale was adapted through translation, back translation and equivalence evaluation. The Portuguese version was administered to a sample of 40 patients with mild to moderate AD according to NINCDS ADRDA and DSM-III-R criteria, and also to their respective caregivers/family members.