Sammanfattning
Background: Earlier studies have revealed a high prevalence of dementia among nursing-home patients. We conducted a descriptive study of dementia and neuropsychiatric symptoms among patients in nursing homes in Nord-Trøndelag County, Norway.
Material and methods: 704 nursing-home patients were included and studied with the Norwegian versions of the Clinical Dementia Rating scale (CDR) and the neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI).
Results: The study indicated that 575 patients (82 %) had dementia. Of these, 430 patients (75 %) had at least one clinically significant neuropsychiatric syndrome in addition, most commonly delusions, apathy or irritability. The neuropsychiatric symptoms could be grouped into four categories: psychosis, apathy, affective symptoms and agitation.
Interpretation: The findings are comparable with earlier studies of Norwegian nursing-home patients. The high prevalence of dementia and neuropsychiatric symptoms is of significance for the clinical practice, running and planning of nursing homes.