Melander C, Martinsson J, Gustafsson S. Measuring Electrodermal Activity to Improve the Identification of Agitation in Individuals with Dementia.
Dement Geriatr Cogn Dis Extra 2017;
7:430-439. [PMID:
29430245 PMCID:
PMC5806167 DOI:
10.1159/000484890]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Understanding and interpreting the complexity of agitation in people with dementia is challenging.
Objective
To explore whether a sensor measuring electrodermal activity (EDA) can improve the identification of agitation in individuals with dementia.
Methods
Nine individuals with dementia wore a sensor that measured EDA. During the same time, assistant nurses annotated the observed behavior of the person with dementia. A binary logistic regression model was applied to assess the relationship between the sensor and the assistant nurses' structured observations of agitation.
Results
The sensor values correlated with the assistant nurses' observations both at the time of the observation and 1 and 2 h prior to the observation.
Conclusion
A sensor measuring EDA can support early detection of agitation in persons with dementia.
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