None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
This project aims to determine whether training in and use of a brief cognitive impairment screening tool and training in dementia management guidelines can improve diagnostic rates, management techniques and patient and carer outcomes compared with General Practitioners (GPs) who are not so trained and their patients and carers who undergo usual care. It will also evaluate the benefits of screening as opposed to case finding for early dementia in general practice.
Interventions
Intervention general practitioners (GPs) will be trained in the use of a brief cognitive impairment screening tool (the GPCOG), which is superior to other dementia screening instruments because of its brevity and its use of an informant report in borderline cases. GPs will also be trained in the use of dementia management guidelines (the Care of Patients with Dementia in General Practice Guidelines) funded by the NSW Department of Health and endorsed by the Royal Australian College of General P
Intervention general practitioners (GPs) will be trained in the use of a brief cognitive impairment screening tool (the GPCOG), which is superior to other dementia screening instruments because of its brevity and its use of an informant report in borderline cases. GPs will also be trained in the use of dementia management guidelines (the Care of Patients with Dementia in General Practice Guidelines) funded by the NSW Department of Health and endorsed by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. These consensus guidelines have been developed by general practitioners for the use of general practitioners caring for patients with dementia in the community.Training will take place either in the GP's own surgery or at a central location. The training will include a detailing intervention or presentation by a GP educator which will run for approximately 20 minutes. It will also include practice in the administration of the GPCOG and discussion of relevant cases. All intervention GPs will be provided with support materials and the Guidelines. Both intervention and control GPs will complete patient audits at the beginning and end of the study.
Sponsors
Professor Dimity Pond, University of Newcastle.
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Diagnosis
Masking
Blinded (masking used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
75 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
GP inclusion criteria:*Consent to participate in study*Have patients on a computerised database*Have patients aged 75 years and over and living in the community*Consent to being randomised to either-Intervention group or-Wait list control group. Patient inclusion criteria:*Listed on participating GPs' databases*Previously visited recruited GPs within the last 24 months*Consent to a home visit or surgery visit by project staff*Speak and understand English. Carer inclusion criteria:*Primary carer for a person suffering from dementia and participating in the project. *Prior consent from the person with dementia for his/her carer to participate in the study*Speak and understand English*Consent to a home visit or surgery visit by the project staff.
Exclusion criteria
GP exclusion criteria:*Involved in project development*Does not meet inclusion criteria. Patient exclusion criteria:*Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, motor neuron disease or central nervous system inflammation*Psychotic symptoms*Developmental disability*Insufficient English to complete a psychometric assessment (judged by interviewer)*Progressive malignancy*Substance abuse*Deemed too sick to complete study by the GP*Lives in a residential aged care facility*Does not meet inclusion criteria*Valid and informed consent cannot be obtained from the person involved and they do not have a person responsible for them. Carer exclusion criteria:*Insufficient English to complete testing (judged by the interviewer)*Non-consenting patient-participant*Does not consent to a home visit or surgery visit by the project staff.*Too unwell to participate*Does not meet inclusion criteria.
Outcome results
None listed