Patient, Family Caregiver, and Provider Perceptions on Self-Assessment Screening for Cognitive Impairment in Primary Care: Findings From a Qualitative Study

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate patient, family, and provider perspectives on routine cognitive screening of older adults in primary care using a novel self-assessment tool for detection of early cognitive impairment (CI). We conducted four virtual focus groups with patients aged 65 and older with no CI ( n = 18) and family caregivers of patients with CI ( n = 5) and interviews with primary care providers ( n = 11). Patient and family caregiver participants felt that early detection of CI was important in primary care and may facilitate planning for the future including finances, living arrangements, and advance care planning. Providers reported that they do not use a standardized tool to routinely screen patients for CI yet endorsed the use of a self-assessment CI screening tool. These results suggest that routine screening of older adults using a brief, self-assessment screening tool for CI in primary care may be acceptable to patients, family caregivers, and providers. The findings from this study will inform the development of a brief self-assessment CI screening tool for use in primary care.