ALBUQUERQUE: Nearly two-thirds of older adults are willing to undergo telephone screening for dementia, according to a new study.
The researchers found that the two most significant predictors of willingness to be screened by phone were belief in benefits of early knowledge of cognitive decline and having a friend or relative with Alzheimer’s disease.
Screening for dementia is designed to detect problems requiring further diagnostic assessment.
Patient willingness to be screened for dementia by phone was determined via a phone survey of older primary care patients. The 63 percent willingness rate was significant although lower than the 90 percent willingness rate of patients who were queried in face-to-face interviews.