Informant information in the assessment of cognitive difficulties
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Informant-rated information in the assessment of cognitive difficulties: the role of subjective burden.
IRAS ID
193443
Contact name
Lucy Morrell
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Canterbury Christ Church University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 0 days
Research summary
Given it’s predicted increase in prevalence, improving dementia care is both a national and international priority; detailed in the National Dementia Strategy (DoH, 2009) and the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia (DoH, 2012). In line with this, there has been a nationwide increase in specialist memory assessment services, which endeavour to provide a “rapid and competence specialist assessment” followed by an “accurate diagnosis” (DoH, 2009). \n\nGuidelines recommend that assessments undertaken within these services should involve standardised screening tests as well as patient and informant reports. Although research supports the use of informant reports, numerous informant, patient and informant-patient relationship characteristics have been suggested to influence informant reports; raising questions regarding their reliability (Magaziner, 1997).\n\nIn a single case study, the potential impact of informant burden on informant reports of patient’s cognitive functioning and its subsequent negative consequences for patients, informants and services was emphasized (Burke & McNeilly, 2002). Other studies suggest that informant (e.g. age), patient (e.g. anxiety) and informant-patient relationship characteristics (e.g. frequency of contact) impact informant burden, and that this burden is associated with negative outcomes for both informants (e.g. depression) and patients (e.g. untimely moves to residential care).\n\nDespite these associations, few studies have sought to understand the impact of informant burden on their reports of patient cognitive functioning. Indeed, Kemp et al. (2002) investigated factors that influenced informant reports and concluded that a limitation of their own study was the absence of informant burden, which they proposed was likely to influence reports. \n\nThis study will aim to explore whether patient and informant (i.e. family members, friends or formal carers) characteristics, including burden, are associated with informant reports of patient cognitive impairment. Research in this area would not only further understanding of informant burden, but may have important clinical implications given the routine use of informant reports in memory assessments.
REC name
North West - Haydock Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/NW/0294
Date of REC Opinion
25 Apr 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion