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Pathways to care for people for dementia: an international multi-centre study
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 19:13 authored by Umberto Volpe, H Amin, Olatunde O Ayinde, Alistair Burns, Wai Chi Chan, Renaud David, Slavica Djukic Deianovic, Gorica Dokii, Defne Eraslan, Giulia A L Fischer, Patricia Gracia-Garcia, Syed Usman Hamdani, Cchangsu Han, Hussain Jafri, Maya SemrauMaya Semrau, . othersObjective: the aim of the present study was to characterize the clinical pathways that people with dementia (PwD) in different countries follow to reach specialized dementia care. Methods: we recruited 548 consecutive clinical attendees with a standardized diagnosis of dementia, in 19 specialized public centers for dementia care in 15 countries. The WHO “Encounter Form”, a standardized schedule that enables data concerning basic socio-demographic, clinical and pathways data to be gathered, was completed for each participant. Results: the median time from the appearance of the first symptoms to the first contact with specialist dementia care was 56 weeks. The primary point of access to care was the general practitioners (55.8%). Psychiatrists, geriatricians and neurologists represented the most important second point of access. In about a third of cases, PwD were prescribed psychotropic drugs (mostly antidepressants and tranquillizers). Psychosocial interventions (such as psychological counselling, psychotherapy and practical advice) were delivered in less than 3% of situations. The analyses of the ‘pathways diagram’ revealed that the path of PwD to receiving care is complex, diverse across countries, and that there are important barriers to clinical care. Conclusions: the study of pathways followed by PwD to reach specialized care has implications for the subsequent course and the outcome of dementia. Insights into local differences in the clinical presentations and the implementation of currently available dementia care are essential to develop more tailored strategies for these patients, locally, nationally and internationally.
History
Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Accepted version
Journal
International Journal of Geriatric PsychiatryISSN
0885-6230Publisher
WileyExternal DOI
Page range
1-27Department affiliated with
- BSMS Publications
Research groups affiliated with
- Brighton and Sussex Centre for Global Health Research Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2019-10-02First Open Access (FOA) Date
2020-10-28First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2019-10-01Usage metrics
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