Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31638322›Full record

Observational studyHealth expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy2020

Communicating uncertainties when disclosing diagnostic test results for (Alzheimer's) dementia in the memory clinic: The ABIDE project.

Leonie N C Visser, Sophie A R Pelt, Marleen Kunneman, Femke H Bouwman, Jules J Claus, Kees J Kalisvaart, Liesbeth Hempenius, Marlijn H de Beer, Gerwin Roks, Leo Boelaarts and 4 more

Open access · goldAbstract readMulticenter StudyObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
16citing papers in PubMed
39.0field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

16 citing papers in PubMed, 39 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Facing the new diagnostic and treatment options of Alzheimer's disease: The necessity of informed consent.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2025
    Article
  5. Article
  6. The expectations and experiences of patients regarding the diagnostic workup at a specialized memory clinic: An interview study.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2024
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Review
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Communicating uncertainties when disclosing diagnostic test results for (Alzheimer's) dementia in the memory clinic: The ABIDE project.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2020
    Observational
  16. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors at 10 institutions in 2 countries.

Leonie N C VisserDepartment of Medical Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0003-3487-7938
Sophie A R PeltDepartment of Medical Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Marleen KunnemanKnowledge and Evaluation Research (KER) Unit, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
Femke H BouwmanDepartment of Neurology, Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Jules J ClausDepartment of Neurology, Tergooi Hospital, Blaricum, The Netherlands.
Kees J KalisvaartDepartment of Clinical Geriatrics, Spaarne Gasthuis, Haarlem, The Netherlands.
Liesbeth HempeniusGeriatric Center, Medical Center Leeuwarden, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.
Marlijn H de BeerDepartment of Neurology, Reinier de Graaf Gasthuis, Delft, The Netherlands.
Gerwin RoksDepartment of Neurology, ETZ Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Leo BoelaartsGeriatric Department, NoordWest Ziekenhuis Groep, Alkmaar, The Netherlands.
Mariska KleijerDepartment of Neurology, LangeLand Ziekenhuis, Zoetermeer, The Netherlands.
Wiesje M van der FlierDepartment of Neurology, Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Ellen M A SmetsDepartment of Medical Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Marij A HillenDepartment of Medical Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Amsterdam Neuroscience · NLAmsterdam University Medical Centers · NLElisabeth-TweeSteden Ziekenhuis · NLLange Land Ziekenhuis · NLLeiden University Medical Center · NLMedisch Centrum Leeuwarden · NLNoordwest Ziekenhuisgroep · NLReinier de Graaf Hospital · NLSpaarne Gasthuis · NLTergooi · NL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe development of novel diagnostics enables increasingly earlier diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Timely diagnosis may benefit patients by reducing their uncertainty regarding the cause of symptoms, yet does not always provide patients with the desired certainty.

objectiveTo examine, using both quantitative and qualitative methods, uncertainty communicated by memory clinic clinicians in post-diagnostic testing consultations with patients and their caregivers.

methodsFirst, we identified all uncertainty expressions of 22 clinicians in audiotaped post-diagnostic testing consultations with 78 patients. Second, we statistically explored relationships between patient/clinician characteristics and uncertainty expressions. Third, the transcribed uncertainty expressions were qualitatively analysed, determining the topic to which they pertained, their source and initiator/elicitor (clinicians/patients/caregivers).

resultsWithin 57/78 (73%) consultations, clinicians expressed in total 115 uncertainties, of which 37% elicited by the patient or caregiver. No apparent relationships were found between patient/clinician characteristics and whether or not, and how often clinicians expressed uncertainty. Uncertainty expressions pertained to ten different topics, most frequently patient's diagnosis and symptom progression. Expressed uncertainty was mostly related to the unpredictability of the future and limits to available knowledge. DISCUSSION AND

conclusionsThe majority of clinicians openly discussed the limits of scientific knowledge and diagnostic testing with patients and caregivers in the dementia context. Noticeably, clinicians did not discuss uncertainty in about one quarter of consultations. More evidence is needed on the beneficial and/or harmful effects on patients of discussing uncertainty with them. This knowledge can be used to support clinicians to optimally convey uncertainty and facilitate patients' uncertainty management.

Indexed as

CommunicationDiagnostic Tests, RoutineDisclosureUncertaintyAgedAlzheimer DiseaseAmbulatory Care FacilitiesCaregiversFemaleHealth PersonnelHumansMaleMiddle AgedNetherlandsPatientsQualitative ResearchAlzheimer's diseasedementiadiagnostic work-upmemory clinicphysician-patient communicationuncertainty

Identifiers

PMID31638322
PMCPMC6978856
OpenAlexW2981822179

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.