Anxiety Symptoms in Australian Memory Clinic Attendees with Cognitive Impairment: Differences Between Self-, Carer-, and Clinician-Report Measures

ObjectivesTo identify the prevalence of anxiety symptoms using a variety of instruments in an Australian memory clinic sample.MethodsThis is an exploratory cross-sectional study using a purposive consecutive series sample of 163 individuals and their carers who attended a Brisbane, Australia, memory clinic in 2012-2015. Descriptive statistics and correlation analyses were performed to explore different approaches to measuring anxiety in the sample, using clinician-rated, self-report and carer-report measures.ResultsThe mean age of participants was 78 years, nearly 53% were females. Over 70% of participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia (n = 163) experienced mild to moderate anxiety per a clinician-rated measure (HAM-A), which moderately correlated with carer-report anxiety (IQAD; r(s) =.59, p < .001). Only weak correlations of these measures with self-report anxiety (GAI) were detected.ConclusionsMild to moderate anxiety symptoms were frequent in memory clinic attendees diagnosed with MCI or dementia using the HAM-A, suggesting experiences of subclinical anxiety symptoms.Clinical ImplicationsSelf- as well as carer-report screening tools should be used in memory clinics in addition to routinely administered neuropsychiatric assessments to support early identification of anxiety symptoms and mapping of available post-diagnostic care pathways for people diagnosed with cognitive impairment.