The landscape of inequalities in dementia across Europe: First insights from the INTERDEM taskforce.


Giebel, Clarissa ORCID: 0000-0002-0746-0566, Harding, Emma ORCID: 0000-0001-9675-2335, Volkmer, Anna ORCID: 0000-0002-4149-409X, Chirico, Ilaria ORCID: 0000-0001-9799-0204, Hopper, Louise ORCID: 0000-0002-9382-5241, Szczesniak, Dorota, Talbot, Catherine V, Diaz-Ponce, Ana, Gove, Dianne ORCID: 0000-0002-4281-3494, Knapp, Martin ORCID: 0000-0003-1427-0215 et al (show 5 more authors) (2024) The landscape of inequalities in dementia across Europe: First insights from the INTERDEM taskforce. International journal of geriatric psychiatry, 39 (5). e6096-.

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Abstract

<h4>Background</h4>Getting a diagnosis of dementia does not equate to equitable access to care. People with dementia and unpaid carers face many barriers to care, which can vary within, and across, different countries and cultures. With little evidence across different countries, the aim of this scoping exercise was to identify the different and similar types of inequalities in dementia across Europe, and provide recommendations for addressing these.<h4>Methods</h4>We conducted a brief online survey with INTERDEM and INTERDEM Academy members across Europe, and with members of Alzheimer Europe's European Working Group of People with Dementia and Carers in February and March 2023. Members were asked about whether inequalities in dementia care existed within their country; if yes, to highlight three key inequalities. Responses on barriers were coded into groups, and frequencies of inequalities were calculated. Highlighted inequalities were discussed and prioritised at face-to-face and virtual consensus meetings in England, Ireland, Italy, and Poland, involving people with dementia, unpaid carers, health and social care providers, and non-profit organisations.<h4>Results</h4>Forty-nine academics, PhD students, people with dementia and unpaid carers from 10 countries (Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Malta, Netherlands, UK) completed the survey. The most frequently identified inequalities focused on unawareness and lack of information, higher level system issues (i.e. lack of communication among care professionals), lack of service suitability, and stigma. Other barriers included workforce training and knowledge, financial costs, culture and language, lack of single-point-of-contact person, age, and living location/postcode lottery. There was general consensus among people living dementia and care providers of unawareness as a key barrier in different European countries, with varied priorities in Ireland depending on geographical location.<h4>Conclusions</h4>These findings provide a first insight on dementia inequalities across Europe, generate cross-country learnings on how to address these inequalities in dementia, and can underpin further solution-focused research that informs policy and key decision makers to implement changes.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: INTERDEM Taskforce on Inequalities in Dementia Care, Humans, Dementia, Adult, Aged, Middle Aged, Caregivers, Health Services Accessibility, Europe, Female, Male, Healthcare Disparities, Surveys and Questionnaires
Divisions: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Population Health
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 19 Apr 2024 15:27
Last Modified: 11 May 2024 02:34
DOI: 10.1002/gps.6096
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3180465
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