A new study by The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing researchers, including assistant professors Heather Cuevas, PhD, APRN, ACNS, FCNS, and Beth Heitkemper, PhD, RN, along with alumna Jeeyeon Kim, PhD, explores subjective cognitive dysfunction in nondementia-related chronic illnesses.
Their work, titled "Subjective Cognitive Dysfunction in Chronic Illness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis," was published in the August 2024 edition of the Western Journal of Nursing Research.
The study systematically reviewed 25 qualitative studies and developed a model to explain how individuals with chronic illnesses experience and adapt to cognitive dysfunction. The findings are organized into four key themes: symptoms, health care, self-perception and relationships. The research highlights the impact of cognitive dysfunction on health care interactions and personal life and suggests that further research is needed to understand its role in chronic illness.