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Epidemiology of injury in people with Alzheimer's disease
D M Oleske1, R S Wilson, B A Bernard
1Department of Health Systems Management, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Background:
Previous studies have suggested that the risk of injury is elevated among persons with dementia, but these studies have focused primarily on falls and fractures. This study characterizes all injuries incurred in a large sample of community-dwelling persons with a specific form of dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Subjects And Methods:
The sample consisted of 281 community-dwelling persons diagnosed with AD according to NINCDS/ADRDA guidelines. Information regarding all injuries occurring within the previous 6 months was obtained through a structured interview of a caregiver.
Results:
The rate of injuries was 58.4 per 100 persons per year. Although falling was the single most common mechanism by which injuries occurred, it accounted for only 43.8% of all injuries. Fractures accounted for 13.7% of injuries. Medical treatment was sought for 52.1% of the injuries. After adjustment for age and gender, the likelihood of injury was significantly associated with cognitive impairment and with ADL limitation, but the independent contribution of these two factors could not be assessed.
Conclusions:
The findings suggest that injuries are a significant problem in persons with AD.