Table 3.
Perceptions of benefits, drawbacks, and limitations of MCI as a clinical diagnosis [2]
| Strongly disagree (%) | Somewhat disagree (%) | Neither agree nor disagree (%) | Somewhat agree (%) | Strongly agree (%) | Mean score (1–5 scale) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benefits | ||||||
| 1. Labeling the problem is helpful for patients and family members | 1 | 2 | 7 | 26 | 64 | 4.4 |
| 2. Diagnosis is useful so the patient can be more involved in planning for the future | 1 | 5 | 10 | 47 | 37 | 4.1 |
| 3. Diagnosis can be useful in motivating the patient to engage in risk-reduction activities | 4 | 7 | 23 | 44 | 21 | 3.7 |
| 4. Certain medications can be useful in treating some patients with MCI | 42 | 20 | 21 | 15 | 2 | 2.1 |
| Drawbacks and limitations | ||||||
| 5. MCI is too difficult to diagnose accurately or reliably | 18 | 23 | 27 | 24 | 7 | 2.8 |
| 6. Diagnosing MCI causes unnecessary worry for patients and family members | 27 | 34 | 19 | 18 | 2 | 2.3 |
| 7. MCI is usually better described as early Alzheimer's disease | 43 | 40 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 1.7 |
| 8. There is no approved treatment for MCI so it does not make sense to diagnose it | 52 | 35 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1.6 |
Abbreviation: MCI, mild cognitive impairment.