COGNITIVE SCREENING OF A GENERAL POPULATION: IMPLICATIONS FOR A DEMENTIA DIAGNOSTIC PROCESS IN SLOVAKIA

Abstract

Slovakia is one of the most rapidly ageing countries in European Union with current number of people with Alzheimer's disease estimated on 60 000. Unfortunately, symptoms of dementia are considered as a normal part of ageing not only by general public in Slovakia, but also by many professionals of first contact (e.g. general practicioners). These are the reasons why three projects of cognitive screening called Free Memory Testing (FMT) have been carried out in Slovakia with the aim to improve the access to early dementia diagnosis. A poster aims to provide future recommendations based on overall results of the FMTprojects. From 2012 to 2016 a free cognitive screening by Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) (Nasreddine et al., 2005) was made available in Memory Centre, Bratislava, Slovakia, a specialized health and social care facility for people with Alzheimer's disease. Overall 1598 persons participated in cognitive screening, 1023 (64,02%) were below normal cognitive performance (cut point = 26). A half of the participants (N = 822; 51,43%) attended a screening because of subjective memory complaints (most often difficulties finding words and names and searching for things) that were perceived by participants for three years on average before finding help. Only 157 (9,82%) persons were referred to the screening examination by general practitioners. Based on the results of screening further professional examination (mostly psychiatric: N = 840; 52,57%) and non-pharmacological intervention (mostly cognitive training: N = 305; 19,09%) were recommended. Free cognitive screening in memory clinic appears to be a suitable initial examination for people with memory complaints concerning specifics of Slovakia. However, experiences from projects indicate insufficient cooperation of professionals in the diagnostic process and these findings are basis for systematic change in Slovakia to improve access to early dementia diagnosis, namely an extensive need to improve education of general practitioners in the topic and even more urgent need of strengthening the barely existing position of neuropsychologists in diagnostic process of dementia using standardized methods, which is an objective of newly developed project.