Impact of Psychotic Symptoms and Concurrent Neuropsychiatric Symptoms on the Quality of Life of People With Dementia Living in Nursing Homes

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to determine whether psychotic symptoms in people with dementia (PwD) living in nursing homes were associated with reduced quality of life and to understand the additional impact of other concurrent neuropsychiatric symptoms on QoL.

Design: Cross-sectional cohort study (using data from WHELD cohort).

Settings and participants: 971 PwD living in nursing homes participating in the WHELD study.

Methods: The Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Nursing Home (NPI-NH) version was completed by informant interview. We compared mean differences in proxy-rated QoL scores (DEMQOL-Proxy) for PwD experiencing or not experiencing delusions and for PwD experiencing or not experiencing hallucinations. Backward multiple regression was used to determine the added contributions of agitation (Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory), anxiety (NPI-NH-Anxiety), depression (Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia), dementia severity (Clinical Dementia Rating-sum of boxes score), pain (Abbey Pain Scale), and antipsychotic prescription. Mediation analysis was conducted for agitation, anxiety, and depression.

Results: Presence of both delusions (P < .001, B = -8.39) and hallucinations (P < .001, B = -7.78) was associated with poorer QoL. Both associations remained significant after controlling for other factors. Agitation, anxiety, and depression partially mediated the relationship between each psychotic symptom and QoL.

Conclusions and implications: Delusions and hallucinations in PwD are associated with poorer QoL among PwD living in nursing homes. The effects remain significant after adjusting for confounding variables. Direct effects of each symptom maintained significance despite significant mediation by concurrent neuropsychiatric symptoms.

Keywords: Delusions; agitation; anxiety; depression; hallucinations.