Characteristics of help-seeking behaviour in subjects with subjective memory complaints at a memory clinic: a case-control study

• Published in: International journal of geriatric psychiatry Vol. 24; no. 2; pp. 190 - 196
• Main Authors: Ramakers, Inez H. G. B., Visser, Pieter Jelle, Bittermann, Arnold J. N., Ponds, Rudolf W. H. M., van Boxtel, Martin P. J., Verhey, Frans R. J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.02.2009; Psychology Press; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adult and adolescent clinical studies; affective symptoms; Aged; Anxiety - psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Dementia; Dementia - diagnosis; Depressive Disorder - psychology; Extraversion (Psychology); Female; Geriatric psychiatry; Geriatric psychology; Geriatrics; Humans; Life Change Events; Male; Medical sciences; Memory; memory clinic; memory complaints without impairment; Memory Disorders - psychology; memory self-efficacy; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Neurotic Disorders - psychology; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Quality of Life; Self Efficacy; Self esteem; Social psychiatry. Ethnopsychiatry; Studies; subjective memory complaints; Netherlands; Europe; Social environment; Human; Mood disorder; Help seeking; Memory disorder; memory complaints without impairment; Cognitive disorder; subjective memory complaints; Self evaluation; Memory; Mental health; Case control study; Epidemiology; memory self-efficacy; Symptomatology; affective symptoms; Self efficacy; Adult; Memory complaint; Elderly; memory clinic; Public health
• ISSN: 0885-6230; 1099-1166; 1099-1166
• DOI: 10.1002/gps.2092

Objective Memory complaints in the absence of objective test impairments are common. Only a subset of these subjects seeks medical attention for these complaints. The aim of the present study was to investigate which factors determine why people with subjective memory complaints (SMC) seek medical attention. Methods Thirty‐three cases with SMC from a memory clinic were compared to 85 control subjects with SMC from a population‐based study who did not seek help for their complaints. We investigated whether cases differed from controls with respect to the following: depressive and anxiety symptoms (SCL‐90), extraversion and neuroticism (EPQ), meta‐memory (MIA), quality of life (SF‐36), changes in memory and daily functioning according to a relative (DECO), life‐changing events, and a family history of dementia. Results Cases with SMC who seek medical attention, scored lower on memory self‐efficacy and quality of life. They were more often worried due to a positive family history of dementia by comparison to the control subjects. Relatives of cases reported more deterioration in daily functioning than relatives of controls. Both the cases and control subjects had similar levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms, as well as levels of extraversion and neuroticism. Conclusion Lower memory self‐efficacy and quality of life, deterioration in daily functioning, and worries due to a positive family history for dementia are factors that determine why subjects with SMC seek medical attention. This information may be useful for the development of interventions for these subjects. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.