Table 7 GPs’ attitudes to dementia care (n = 341)
Items | Number of GPs strongly agree (%) | Number of GPs agree (%) | Neither (%) | Number of GPs disagree (%) | Number of GPs strongly disagree (%) | Mean ± SD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Much can be done to improve the quality of life of caregivers of people with dementia. | 43 (12.6) | 133 (39.0) | 110 (32.3) | 38 (11.1) | 17 (5.0) | 3.43 ± 1.01 |
2. Families would rather be told about their relative’s dementia as soon as possible. | 124 (36.4) | 173 (50.7) | 23 (6.7) | 12 (3.5) | 9 (2.6) | 4.15 ± 0.89 |
3. Much can be done to improve the quality of life of people with dementia. | 47 (13.8) | 127 (37.2) | 110 (32.3) | 41 (12.0) | 16 (4.7) | 3.43 ± 1.02 |
4. Providing diagnosis is usually more helpful than harmful. | 106 (31.1) | 170 (49.9) | 44 (12.9) | 12 (3.5) | 9 (2.6) | 4.03 ± 0.90 |
5. Dementia is best diagnosed by specialist services. | 179 (52.5) | 120 (35.2) | 23 (6.7) | 10 (2.9) | 9 (2.6) | 4.32 ± 0.92 |
6. Patients with dementia can be a drain on resources with little positive outcome. | 7 (2.1) | 30 (8.8) | 64 (18.8) | 165 (48.4) | 75 (22.0) | 3.79 ± 0.95 |
7. It is better to talk to the patient in euphemistic terms. | 60 (17.6) | 195 (57.2) | 54 (15.8) | 21 (6.2) | 11 (3.2) | 3.80 ± 0.91 |
8. Managing dementia is more often frustrating than rewarding. | 17 (5.0) | 54 (15.8) | 85 (24.9) | 128 (37.5) | 57 (16.7) | 3.45 ± 1.09 |
9. There is little point in referring families to services as they do not want to use them. | 13 (3.8) | 94 (27.6) | 99 (29.0) | 107 (31.4) | 28 (8.2) | 3.13 ± 1.03 |
10. The primary care team has a very limited role to play in the care of people with dementia. | 31 (9.1) | 126 (37.0) | 102 (29.9) | 69 (20.2) | 13 (3.8) | 2.73 ± 1.01 |