背景:随着人口老龄化,痴呆症患者的数量预计会增加,which,反过来,预计将导致因严重徘徊而导致的失踪事件发生率增加。然而,由于痴呆症导致的失踪事件的估计患病率在某些司法管辖区尚无定论,而在其他司法管辖区则被忽视。
目的:本研究的目的是检查(1)人口统计学,精神病理学,以及由于加拿大老年成人MedicAlert基金会(以下简称MedicAlert)订户中严重徘徊而导致失踪事件的环境先例;(2)失踪事件的特征和结果。
方法:本研究采用回顾性描述性设计。样本包括在2015年1月至2021年7月期间参与560起失踪事件的434名老年MedicAlert订阅者。
结果:样本中白人老年人比例过高(329/425,77.4%)。报告失踪的MedicAlert订户主要是女性老年人(230/431,53.4%),居住在至少有1名家庭成员的城市地区(277/433,63.8%)。大多数MedicAlert订阅者(345/434,79.5%)自我报告患有痴呆症。MedicAlert订户在社区的私人住宅中失踪最频繁(96/143,67.1%),步行(248/270,91.9%)和公共交通(12/270,4.4%),下午(262/560,46.8%)和晚上(174/560,31.1%)。大多数位于第一反应者(232/486,47.7%)或好撒玛利亚人(224/486,46.1%)。在560起失踪事件中,126例(22.5%)重复失踪事件。失踪事件之间的平均时间为11(SD10.8)个月。最后,大多数MedicAlert订户安全返回家园(453/500,90.6%);和伤害报告,受伤(46/500,9.2%),死亡率(1/500,0.2%)非常低。
结论:本研究提供了1个数据库来源的缺失事件的患病率。失踪事件的低频率可能并不代表非白人人群。尽管失踪事件数量很少,0.2%(1/500)导致受伤或死亡的病例是毁灭性的经历,可以通过预防策略来缓解。
BACKGROUND: With the population aging, the number of people living with dementia is expected to rise, which, in turn, is expected to lead to an increase in the prevalence of missing incidents due to critical wandering. However, the estimated prevalence of missing incidents due to dementia is inconclusive in some jurisdictions and overlooked in others.
OBJECTIVE: The aims of the study were to examine (1) the demographic, psychopathological, and environmental antecedents to missing incidents due to critical wandering among older adult MedicAlert Foundation Canada (hereinafter MedicAlert) subscribers; and (2) the characteristics and outcomes of the missing incidents.
METHODS: This study used a retrospective descriptive design. The sample included 434 older adult MedicAlert subscribers involved in 560 missing incidents between January 2015 and July 2021.
RESULTS: The sample was overrepresented by White older adults (329/425, 77.4%). MedicAlert subscribers reported missing were mostly female older adults (230/431, 53.4%), living in urban areas with at least 1 family member (277/433, 63.8%). Most of the MedicAlert subscribers (345/434, 79.5%) self-reported living with dementia. MedicAlert subscribers went missing most frequently from their private homes in the community (96/143, 67.1%), traveling on foot (248/270, 91.9%) and public transport (12/270, 4.4%), during the afternoon (262/560, 46.8%) and evening (174/560, 31.1%). Most were located by first responders (232/486, 47.7%) or Good Samaritans (224/486, 46.1%). Of the 560 missing incidents, 126 (22.5%) were repeated missing incidents. The mean time between missing incidents was 11 (SD 10.8) months. Finally, the majority of MedicAlert subscribers were returned home safely (453/500, 90.6%); and reports of harm, injuries (46/500, 9.2%), and death (1/500, 0.2%) were very low.
CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the prevalence of missing incidents from 1 database source. The low frequency of missing incidents may not represent populations that are not White. Despite the low number of missing incidents, the 0.2% (1/500) of cases resulting in injuries or death are devastating experiences that may be mitigated through prevention strategies.