Patient Self‐Reported Cognitive Ability and Self‐Reported Confidence in Symptom/Medication Management in People with Dementia Disorders: Twin Pillars of Truth or Illusion for Clinicians?

Dementia associated diseases (DAD) refers to clinical conditions characterized by progressive impairment of cognition that interferes with an individual’s ability to function independently due to such cognitive impairment (CI). Clinically, CI can vary in degree and combination across multiple important cognitive domains (CD). Clinician and patient with DAD (PwDAD) self‐awareness/recognition of such varied types/degrees of CI might not only be sub‐optimal or inaccurate, but unable to recognize subtle change or provide quantitative information across multiple CD. Patient self‐reported outcome measures (PRO) are now often incorporated into routine care to gauge cognitive impairment, disability progression and participation in self‐management of symptoms, medications and shared decision making. Clinicians rely on patient provided information/history to treatment decisions. Incorporating PRO measures into routine care has increased and impacts care plans and decision‐making. Both accurate and reliable information is needed by clinicians to improve clinical decision‐making and outcomes as well as to avoid unanticipated/adverse outcomes.