Table 2.
Linear regression models of the association between GPs’ attitudes, demographic characteristics, interventions and first diagnosis
| Univariable model | Multivariable model | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Est | 95% CI | p value | Est | 95% CI | p value | |||
| Enablers of early dementia diagnosis | ||||||||
| Demographics | ||||||||
| Age (per 10 years) | − 0.07 | − 0.12 | − 0.03 | 0.001 | − 0.08 | − 0.12 | − 0.03 | 0.001 |
| Sex (female vs. male) | 0.13 | 0.05 | 0.21 | 0.002 | 0.10 | 0.00 | 0.20 | 0.055 |
| Workload (per 10 h per week) | 0.00 | − 0.03 | 0.02 | 0.777 | 0.00 | − 0.03 | 0.02 | 0.786 |
| Consultations (per 5 per day) | − 0.02 | − 0.06 | 0.02 | 0.423 | − 0.02 | − 0.07 | 0.02 | 0.335 |
| Region (agglomeration vs. city) | − 0.01 | − 0.11 | 0.08 | 0.823 | − 0.01 | − 0.11 | 0.09 | 0.851 |
| Region (rural vs. city) | 0.06 | − 0.03 | 0.16 | 0.189 | 0.07 | − 0.02 | 0.17 | 0.130 |
| Estimate of the percentage of patients over the age of 70 (per 10%) | 0.00 | − 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.785 | 0.00 | − 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.840 |
| Language (French vs. German) | − 0.09 | − 0.19 | 0.01 | 0.080 | − 0.08 | − 0.18 | 0.03 | 0.145 |
| Language (Italian vs. German) | 0.18 | 0.00 | 0.37 | 0.056 | 0.19 | 0.00 | 0.39 | 0.052 |
| Interventions | ||||||||
| Watchful waiting | − 0.14 | − 0.18 | − 0.11 | < 0.001 | − 0.13 | − 0.17 | − 0.10 | < 0.001 |
| Therapy with AChEI or memantine | 0.14 | 0.11 | 0.17 | < 0.001 | 0.14 | 0.11 | 0.18 | < 0.001 |
| Prescription of Ginkgo biloba | 0.04 | 0.01 | 0.07 | 0.012 | 0.04 | 0.01 | 0.07 | 0.009 |
| Minimize cardiovascular risk | 0.07 | 0.03 | 0.10 | < 0.001 | 0.07 | 0.04 | 0.10 | < 0.001 |
| Memory training (groups) | 0.10 | 0.07 | 0.13 | < 0.001 | 0.10 | 0.07 | 0.13 | < 0.001 |
| Counselling for family members | 0.10 | 0.06 | 0.14 | < 0.001 | 0.10 | 0.06 | 0.14 | < 0.001 |
| Other therapies (music, painting, dancing, coaching) | 0.09 | 0.06 | 0.12 | < 0.001 | 0.09 | 0.06 | 0.13 | < 0.001 |
| Prepare advance directives | 0.10 | 0.07 | 0.13 | < 0.001 | 0.10 | 0.07 | 0.13 | < 0.001 |
| Test fitness to drive | 0.10 | 0.07 | 0.13 | < 0.001 | 0.10 | 0.07 | 0.13 | < 0.001 |
| Counselling for the patient (e.g. AD association) | 0.11 | 0.08 | 0.14 | < 0.001 | 0.12 | 0.09 | 0.15 | < 0.001 |
| Diagnosis | ||||||||
| Average point of first diagnosis | − 0.08 | − 0.14 | − 0.01 | 0.028 | − 0.07 | − 0.15 | 0.00 | 0.039 |
| Barriers to early dementia diagnosis | ||||||||
| Demographics | ||||||||
| Age (per 10 years) | − 0.07 | − 0.11 | − 0.02 | 0.005 | − 0.06 | − 0.11 | − 0.02 | 0.007 |
| Sex (female vs. male) | 0.15 | 0.07 | 0.24 | 0.001 | 0.13 | 0.03 | 0.24 | 0.010 |
| Workload (per 10 h per week) | − 0.01 | − 0.04 | 0.02 | 0.490 | 0.00 | − 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.945 |
| Consultations (per 5 per day) | 0.02 | − 0.02 | 0.06 | 0.333 | 0.02 | − 0.03 | 0.07 | 0.427 |
| Region (agglomeration vs. city) | 0.09 | − 0.01 | 0.19 | 0.079 | 0.05 | − 0.05 | 0.15 | 0.320 |
| Region (rural vs. city) | − 0.02 | − 0.12 | 0.07 | 0.660 | − 0.04 | − 0.14 | 0.06 | 0.423 |
| Estimate of the percentage of patients over the age of 70 (per 10%) | − 0.01 | − 0.03 | 0.02 | 0.554 | − 0.01 | − 0.03 | 0.01 | 0.372 |
| Language (French vs. German) | − 0.10 | − 0.20 | 0.00 | 0.060 | − 0.09 | − 0.20 | 0.01 | 0.087 |
| Language (Italian vs. German) | − 0.50 | − 0.69 | − 0.31 | < 0.001 | − 0.48 | − 0.68 | − 0.29 | < 0.001 |
| Interventions | ||||||||
| Watchful waiting | 0.05 | 0.02 | 0.09 | 0.003 | 0.05 | 0.01 | 0.09 | 0.007 |
| Therapy with AChEI or memantine | − 0.01 | − 0.05 | 0.02 | 0.401 | − 0.02 | − 0.05 | 0.02 | 0.408 |
| Prescription of ginkgo biloba | 0.07 | 0.04 | 0.10 | < 0.001 | 0.06 | 0.03 | 0.09 | < 0.001 |
| Minimize cardiovascular risk | 0.00 | − 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.946 | 0.00 | − 0.03 | 0.04 | 0.850 |
| Memory training (groups) | − 0.02 | − 0.05 | 0.01 | 0.110 | − 0.03 | − 0.06 | 0.01 | 0.103 |
| Counselling for family members | − 0.05 | − 0.09 | − 0.02 | 0.006 | − 0.06 | − 0.09 | − 0.02 | 0.006 |
| Other therapies (music, painting, dancing, coaching) | − 0.03 | − 0.06 | 0.01 | 0.116 | − 0.03 | − 0.06 | 0.00 | 0.089 |
| Prepare advance directives | − 0.03 | − 0.06 | 0.00 | 0.088 | − 0.03 | − 0.06 | 0.00 | 0.064 |
| Test fitness to drive | − 0.05 | − 0.09 | − 0.02 | 0.001 | − 0.06 | − 0.10 | − 0.03 | < 0.001 |
| Counselling for the patient (e.g. AD association) | 0.01 | − 0.02 | 0.05 | 0.502 | 0.01 | − 0.03 | 0.04 | 0.749 |
| Diagnosis | ||||||||
| Average point of first diagnosis | 0.06 | − 0.01 | 0.13 | 0.078 | 0.07 | − 0.01 | 0.14 | 0.073 |
Est beta coefficient of linear regression, CI confidence interval
For each unit increment of the independent variables (e.g. in the frequency of an intervention from 0 to 25% of cases or for each increment in the average moment of first diagnosis from MCI to mild dementia), the attitude of GPs changed by the indicated estimate on a scale ranging from 1 to 5. The multivariable models were adjusted for age, work (hours per week), practice location (city, agglomeration of the city, countryside), and the estimate of the percentage of patients over the age of 70