ArticleAge and ageing2023
Experiences and understanding of apathy in people with neurocognitive disorders and their carers: a qualitative interview study.
Article in Age and ageing, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.
- Beyond Diagnosis: Exploring Residual Autonomy in Dementia Through a Systematic Review.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2025Pooled it
- Experiences and coping strategies of family caregivers caring for people with behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia: a systematic review of qualitative studies.International journal of nursing studies advances · 2026Review
- Management of Co-existing Dementia and Hearing Loss in Social Care Settings: A Focus Group Study.Dementia (London, England) · 2026Article
- A scoping review and comprehensive needs assessment for developing an intergenerational cognitive and physical activity program for MCI patients and their adult children.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2025Article
- Healthcare Professionals' Perspectives on Post-Diagnostic Care for People with Vascular Cognitive Impairment: When Help Is Needed in a "No-Man's Land".Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD · 2024Article
- Identifying and managing apathy in people with dementia living in nursing homes: a qualitative study.BMC geriatrics · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundapathy, defined as reduced goal-directed activity, interests and emotion, is highly prevalent in neurocognitive disorders (NCDs). Apathy has important consequences for the individuals who experience it and their carers, yet the lived experiences of apathy in this population are not well understood.
objectiveto explore how people with NCDs and their carers understand and experience apathy.
methodin-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted in participants' homes. Sixteen people with NCDs (dementia or mild cognitive impairment) and 14 carers, living in four geographical areas of England, took part. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.
resultsfour themes were generated: 'Apathy is Poorly Understood'; 'Too much trouble: Mediating Effort and Outcome'; 'Preserving Identity in the Face of Loss of Capability and Autonomy' and 'Opportunity and Exclusion'.
conclusionapathy is experienced as an understandable response to the everyday struggle people with NCDs face to preserve identity in the face of threats to capability and autonomy and is exacerbated by the lack of support and opportunities. Social and environmental modifications may help reduce apathy. In line with previous qualitative research, this challenges the dominant view of apathy as a neuropsychiatric symptom that excludes the social-environmental context.
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