Department of Social Work, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
School of Social Work, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.
Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2021;50(4):401-406. doi: 10.1159/000519581. Epub 2021 Oct 14.
Although early diagnosis has been recognized as a key strategy to improve outcomes of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), the effect of receiving a diagnosis on patients' well-being is not well understood. This study addresses this gap by examining if receiving a dementia diagnosis influences social relationships.
Data from the 3 waves (2012, 2014, and 2016) of the Health and Retirement Study were utilized as part of this study. This study examined whether receiving a new diagnosis of ADRD changed subsequent social relationships (social networks, social engagement, and social support). Regression analyses with inverse probability weighting were performed to estimate the impact of receiving a dementia diagnosis on changes in social relationships.
Receiving a new diagnosis of ADRD reduced both informal and formal social engagement. We found no statistically significant impacts of receiving a diagnosis of ADRD on social networks and social support.
Results suggest that receiving a new diagnosis of ADRD may have unintended impacts on social relationships. Practitioners and policymakers should be aware of these consequences and should identify strategies to alleviate the negative impact of receiving a diagnosis of ADRD and methods to mobilize support networks after receiving a diagnosis.
尽管早期诊断已被认为是改善阿尔茨海默病和相关痴呆症（ADRD）患者预后的关键策略，但诊断对患者福祉的影响尚不清楚。本研究通过考察诊断为痴呆症是否会影响患者的社会关系，填补了这一空白。
本研究利用了健康与退休研究（Health and Retirement Study）的 3 个波次（2012 年、2014 年和 2016 年）的数据。本研究考察了新诊断出 ADRD 是否会改变随后的社会关系（社交网络、社交参与度和社会支持）。采用逆概率加权回归分析来估计诊断为痴呆症对社会关系变化的影响。
新诊断出 ADRD 会减少非正式和正式的社交参与度。我们发现，诊断为 ADRD 对社交网络和社会支持没有统计学上显著的影响。
研究结果表明，新诊断出 ADRD 可能会对社会关系产生意想不到的影响。从业者和政策制定者应意识到这些后果，并确定减轻诊断为 ADRD 的负面影响的策略，以及在诊断后动员支持网络的方法。
