TY - JOUR
T1 - Motivations of patients and their care partners for visiting a memory clinic. A qualitative study
AU - Visser, Leonie N.C.
AU - Fruijtier, Agnetha
AU - Kunneman, Marleen
AU - Bouwman, Femke H.
AU - Schoonenboom, Niki
AU - Staekenborg, Salka S.
AU - Wind, Hilje A.
AU - Hempenius, Liesbeth
AU - de Beer, Marlijn H.
AU - Roks, Gerwin
AU - Boelaarts, Leo
AU - Kleijer, Mariska
AU - Smets, Ellen M.A.
AU - van der Flier, Wiesje M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors
PY - 2023/6
Y1 - 2023/6
N2 - Objective: We investigated motivations of patients and care partners for their memory clinic visit, and whether these are expressed in consultations. Methods: We included data from 115 patients (age 71 ± 11, 49% Female) and their care partners (N = 93), who completed questionnaires after their first consultation with a clinician. Audio-recordings of these consultations were available from 105 patients. Motivations for visiting the clinic were content-coded as reported by patients in the questionnaire, and expressed by patients and care partners in consultations. Results: Most patients reported seeking a cause for symptoms (61%) or to confirm/exclude a (dementia) diagnosis (16%), yet 19% reported another motivation: (more) information, care access, or treatment/advice. In the first consultation, about half of patients (52%) and care partners (62%) did not express their motivation(s). When both expressed a motivation, these differed in about half of dyads. A quarter of patients (23%) expressed a different/complementary motivation in the consultation, then reported in the questionnaire. Conclusion: Motivations for visiting a memory clinic can be specific and multifaceted, yet are often not addressed during consultations. Practice implications: We should encourage clinicians, patients, and care partners to talk about motivations for visiting the memory clinic, as a starting point to personalize (diagnostic) care.
AB - Objective: We investigated motivations of patients and care partners for their memory clinic visit, and whether these are expressed in consultations. Methods: We included data from 115 patients (age 71 ± 11, 49% Female) and their care partners (N = 93), who completed questionnaires after their first consultation with a clinician. Audio-recordings of these consultations were available from 105 patients. Motivations for visiting the clinic were content-coded as reported by patients in the questionnaire, and expressed by patients and care partners in consultations. Results: Most patients reported seeking a cause for symptoms (61%) or to confirm/exclude a (dementia) diagnosis (16%), yet 19% reported another motivation: (more) information, care access, or treatment/advice. In the first consultation, about half of patients (52%) and care partners (62%) did not express their motivation(s). When both expressed a motivation, these differed in about half of dyads. A quarter of patients (23%) expressed a different/complementary motivation in the consultation, then reported in the questionnaire. Conclusion: Motivations for visiting a memory clinic can be specific and multifaceted, yet are often not addressed during consultations. Practice implications: We should encourage clinicians, patients, and care partners to talk about motivations for visiting the memory clinic, as a starting point to personalize (diagnostic) care.
KW - Alzheimer's disease
KW - Dementia
KW - Diagnostic work-up
KW - Doctor-patient communication
KW - Memory clinic
KW - Patient perspectives
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85150841425
U2 - 10.1016/j.pec.2023.107693
DO - 10.1016/j.pec.2023.107693
M3 - Article
C2 - 36913778
AN - SCOPUS:85150841425
SN - 0738-3991
VL - 111
JO - Patient Education and Counseling
JF - Patient Education and Counseling
M1 - 107693
ER -