Abstract
To estimate the prevalence of, and develop norms for, significant agitation in community-dwelling persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD), the authors applied three different criteria to persons with AD (n=235) and normal elderly control subjects (NEC; n=64). The criteria were used to identify the minimum total score on the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI) that represents significant or "excessive" agitation and to estimate its prevalence. The "ultraliberal" criterion resulted in 99.1% of persons with AD and 56.6% of NEC being classified as "excessively" disturbed. The "liberal" and "conservative" criteria classified 66.7% and 68.2% of persons with AD, and no NEC, as "excessively" disturbed. The authors conclude that the best estimate of prevalence of excessive agitation in this population is 67.5%, and that individuals with CMAI scores of 0 to 14 probably should not be considered to have excessive agitation.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 11-18 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences |
Volume | 14 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2002 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Clinical Neurology
- Psychiatry and Mental health