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64/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 64 out of 100. Caregiving

Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies

Background Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are major contributors to the burden of dementia. Aims To describe the prevalence, correlates and course of BPSD in the population of England and Wales. Method The prevalence of 12 symptoms was estimated in 587 participants with dementia and 2050 participants without dementia as part of a population-based longitudinal study of ageing. The effect of risk factors and the factor structure were estimated using 1782 interviews provided by participants with dementia throughout the study. Results Each symptom apart from sleeping problems was more common in the population with dementia. The co-occurrence of the symptoms was explained by a four-factor solution, corresponding to psychosis/apathy, depression/anxiety, irritability/persecution and wandering/sleep problems. Psychosis occurred more frequently with declining cognition. Anxiety and depression were more common in younger individuals and in those with poor self-reported health. Persistence varied between symptoms. Conclusions Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia affect nearly all people with dementia. Symptoms co-occur, and the symptoms that affected individuals experience are related to their socio-demographic and clinical characteristics.

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APA 7th

Savva, G. M., Zaccai, J., Matthews, F. E., Davidson, J. E., McKeith, I., Brayne, C., et al. (2009). Prevalence, correlates and course of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in the population. The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.108.049619

Vancouver

Savva GM, Zaccai J, Matthews FE, Davidson JE, McKeith I, Brayne C, et al. Prevalence, correlates and course of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in the population. The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science. 2009. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.108.049619. PMID: 19252147.

BibTeX

@article{savva2009-19252147,
  author  = {Savva, G. M. and Zaccai, J. and Matthews, F. E. and Davidson, J. E. and McKeith, I. and Brayne, C. and {Medical Research Council Cognitive Function and Ageing Study}},
  title   = {{Prevalence, correlates and course of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in the population}},
  journal = {The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science},
  year    = {2009},
  doi     = {10.1192/bjp.bp.108.049619},
  pmid    = {19252147},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.108.049619}
}

Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.

Key findings

Results Each symptom apart from sleeping problems was more common in the population with dementia.

Why it matters

In a population study of 587 people with dementia and 2,050 without in England and Wales, every one of 12 behavioural and psychological symptoms except sleeping problems was more common with dementia, and the symptoms fell into four groups: psychosis/apathy, depression/anxiety, irritability/persecution, and wandering/sleep problems. Psychosis was more common as thinking declined, anxiety and depression were more common in younger people and in those reporting poor health, and how long symptoms lasted varied. The study describes who has which symptoms; it does not test any treatment or show cause.

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Study details

Study designlongitudinal study
Participants587
Evidence strengthModerate

How this study scored 64/100

Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	7 / 10	Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science)
Journal's citation record	3 / 4	The British Journal of Psychiatry: journal h-index 376 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29)
Study design	7 / 12	A longitudinal study following the same people over time
Strength of evidence	3 / 5	Rated “moderate” in our summary
Peer-review validation	10 / 10	Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal.
How recent	1 / 5	2009 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here
Sample size	2 / 4	587 participants
Effect reported	0 / 3	No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Studied in people	3 / 3	Studied in people (participant count stated)
Randomised / blinded	0 / 2	No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Times cited	6 / 7	Cited 369 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	3 / 5	19.4 citations a year over 19 year(s) since 2009
Impact for its field and year	4 / 6	Cited 10.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	3 / 6	Cited by 12 other studies in this library
Still being cited	2 / 4	Cited 41 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	4 / 4	Last-listed author Carol Brayne: h-index 159 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	2 / 3	University of Cambridge: institution h-index 1,973 (OpenAlex)
Multi-centre collaboration	2 / 3	PubMed indexes it as a multicentre study
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 19252147)
Free to read	0 / 2	Behind a paywall — scores zero
Total	64 / 100	—

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