Abstract
This study considered the effect of background and social network factors on the timing of initial diagnosis of cognitive impairment among elderly patients suspected of having dementia. One hundred first-time patients at a psychogeriatric clinic in Israel and their primary caregivers were interviewed. Severity of cognitive impairment was measured by MMSE scores. Multiple regression analysis revealed that background and perceived need factors accounted for 28% of the explained variance. However, the size of the caregiver's primary network and the percentage of that network composed of secondary ties accounted for an additional 10%. Thus, timely diagnosis was facilitated by caregivers' having a social network that balanced weak and strong ties.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 269-285 |
Number of pages | 17 |
Journal | Journal of Mental Health and Aging |
Volume | 10 |
Issue number | 4 |
State | Published - Dec 2004 |