Quality of Life in severe dementia

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K24196
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0908:Society medicine, nursing, and related fields
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Nagata Yuma 大阪大学, 医学系研究科, 特任研究員 (90832824)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-08-30 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 認知症 / 重度認知症 / QoL / 生活

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with QoL in older persons with severe dementia, using the Quality of Life (QoL) assessment standardized by our research team. The results revealed that there were two factors, expression of comfort and expression of discomfort, in the QoL structure of older people with severe dementia. The results showed that BPSD and pain contributed to the overall QoL score. The expression of comfort factor score was contributed to the activities of daily living and pain. The expression of discomfort factor score was contributed to BPSD and pain.

Free Research Field

認知症

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

認知症は発症数年後に重度のステージに至り、患者自身だけでなく家族や介護者に多大な困難さを引き起こす。従来までは認知症の軽度から重度段階までのステージごとのアプローチは乏しかった。本研究により、重度認知症者のQoLに関連する因子を特定し、軽度から中等度認知症者との差異を客観的に示すことで、根拠に基づく重症度特異的な治療方針の提案に大きく貢献でき、リハビリテーション・ケア介入の選択肢を広げることができると期待される。