A cross-sectional study to assess the relation between anxiety and physical aggression of dementia patients at the department of geriatric mental health

Abstract

Introduction: An increased in life expectancy for the past few decades has led to increased elderly population and thus dementia as growing health problem. The number of serious complications including behavioral and psychological symptoms in which anxiety and physical aggression is common. Aim and Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the anxiety and physical aggression and relation between them of dementia patients. Materials and Methods: A quantitative approach and cross-sectional, descriptive design was used for data collection using nonprobability, purposive sampling technique from 55 dementia patients diagnosed by psychiatrist from the outpatient and inpatient departments of Geriatric Mental Health King George's Medical University, Uttar Pradesh, India, using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale and Cohen Mansfield agitation inventory. Results: Among these patients, mostly belong to the age group of 70–79 living in the urban area, married, illiterate and had Alzheimer's type of dementia with duration of illness for more than 2 years and most of them had never been hospitalized for the treatment. Majority of them, 45.5% had mild-to-moderate anxiety, physical aggression was present in 36.38% and most of patients had mild cognitive impairment. A significant positive correlation was found between the anxiety and physical aggression. Most of the patients were on psychotropic medication, and acetylcholinesterase inhibitors were used by almost every patient. Significant association had been found of anxiety with gender, education, marital status, and occupation and of physical aggression a significant association with gender, education, and marital status of dementia patients.Conclusion: The anxiety is significantly positively correlated with physical aggression of dementia patients.