Gender Differences in Disease, Function, and Behavioral Symptoms in Residents with Dementia.

This was a secondary analysis of baseline data from two studies, so it was not designed to answer this gender question. Observations were only 15 to 30 minutes during daytime care, so behaviors outside that time may have been missed. Staff reports may have been biased by what staff considered normal, and some behaviors may have been treated as routine responses to care. The Cornell depression items include physical or age-related symptoms such as appetite loss, weight loss, lack of energy, and difficulty sleeping, so depression scores may reflect other problems. Dementia type was not collected, so frontotemporal dementia could not be considered when interpreting sexually inappropriate behavior. The reason for anticonvulsant prescribing was not obtained, so it cannot be assumed the medications were used for behavior. The sample was mostly white and non-Hispanic, so findings may not apply to other cultural groups. Only residents with moderate to severe dementia were included, so results may not apply to early dementia.

The supplied publication types list NIH extramural research support. The article text provided here does not include an author conflict-of-interest declaration.

Do not use this paper to change care based on gender alone. It did not test interventions, and the main physical function, agitation, aggression, and resistiveness outcomes showed no gender difference.