Age and Ageing 2017; 46: iii13–iii59 doi: 10.1093/ageing/afx144.56
© The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email:
[email protected]
Poster presentations 012
THE INFORMANT HISTORY IN THE COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT OF OLDER ADULTS IN GENERAL PRACTICE
Adam Dyer1,2, Tony Foley3, Brendan O’Shea4, Sean Kennelly1,2 Centre for Ageing, Neuroscience and the Humanities, Tallaght Hospital, Dublin, Ireland 2 School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland 3 Department of General Practice, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland 4 Department of General Practice, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
1
Background: Despite its crucial role in the assessment of patients presenting with a memory problem or concern over cognition [1, 2], the utility, availability and conduct of an informant (or collateral) history in general practice has never been formally assessed. Methods: A survey distributed to three separate and nationally representative cohorts of general practitioners (GPs)/GP trainees, followed by a reminder one month later. Results: Ninety-five (14%; 52.2% male) responded. Nearly all (87%; 83/95) indicate that it is most often a family member whom brings possible cognitive impairment to the
attention of the GP. The vast majority obtain an informant history in >90% (72.6%; 69/ 95) or in 75–90% (20%; 19/95) and rate it very useful in their clinical assessment of cognition. The majority report the informant history as readily available and rarely refused, with the general practice environment well-suited to obtaining informant histories. A small minority use the GPCOG informant section to guide the history (3.2%; 3/95). Nearly all (92.6%; 88/95) report having received no training in obtaining informant histories with most (79%; 75/95) welcoming of further training in this area. Conclusions: Despite recognition of the utility and importance of a suitable informant history in the assessment of those with a memory problem, the vast majority of GPs report having never received training in obtaining a suitable informant history and do not use structured tools to guide their interview. Further emphasis on the informant history as a distinct clinical entity on medical curricula, as well as increasing emphasis on the ready availability of structured informant tools, is warranted. References 1. Briggs R, O’Neill D. The Informant History: A Neglected Aspect of Clinical Education and Practice. QJM 2016; 109: 301–2. 2. Dyer AH, Nabeel S, Briggs R, O’Neill D, Kennelly SP. Cognitive Assessment of Older Adults at the Acute Care Interface: The Informant History. Postgrad Med J 2016; 92: 255–9.
iii13 Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ageing/article-abstract/46/Suppl_3/iii13/4160991/012The-Informant-History-in-the-Cognitive by Trinity College Dublin user on 21 September 2017
