Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-ttngx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-12T14:51:04.917Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The role of primary care in identification and ongoing management of dementia: a time of transition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 July 2017

Constance Dimity Pond*
Affiliation:
School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Australia

Extract

In this edition of International Psychogeriatrics, Pertrazzuoli et al. (2017) address attitudes to dementia by primary care physicians (PCPs) across a range of European countries. The article focusses on diagnosis, screening instruments and drug treatment, and finds a wide range of approaches to the PCPs’ role in referral for diagnosis and medication prescription. The findings include that PCPs who are allowed to prescribe dementia drugs, engage in higher levels of diagnostic work up, despite all the barriers to identification ably summarized in the paper. Perhaps, this heterogeneity is not random: it may be that roles and responsibilities for PCPs in relation to dementia are in transition.

Type
Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alzheimer's Australia (2014). Dementia care in the acute hospital setting: issues and strategies a report for Alzheimer's Australia. [Internet] Paper 40 June 2014. {cited 20th June 2017} Available at: https://www.fightdementia.org.au/files/Alzheimers_Australia_Numbered_Publication_40.PDF.Google Scholar
Boelen, C. (2000). Towards unity for health: challenges and opportunities for partnership in health development. [Internet] World Health Organisation. Geneva, 2000 (cited 20th June 2017). Available at: http://thenetworktufh.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/TUFH-WHO-monograph.pdf.Google Scholar
Goeman, D., Renehan, E. and Koch, S. (2016). What is the effectiveness of the support worker role for people with dementia and their carers? A systematic review. BMC Health Services Research, 16, 285.Google Scholar
Ibrahim, J. E., Anderson, L. J., MacPhail, A., Lovell, J. J., Davis, M. and Winbolt, M. (2017) Chronic disease self-management support for persons with dementia, in a clinical setting. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 10 4958.Google Scholar
Lalic, S. et al. (2016). Polypharmacy and medication regimen complexity as risk factors for hospitalization among residents of long-term care facilities: a prospective cohort study. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 17, 1067–e1.Google Scholar
Petrazzuoli, F. et al. (2017). Exploring dementia management attitudes in primary care: a key informant survey to primary care physicians in 25 European countries. International Psychogeriatrics, 111. doi:10.1017/S1041610217000552.Google Scholar
Prince, M., Brycea, R., Albanesea, E., Wimo, A., Ribeiroa, W. and Ferri, C. (2013). The global prevalence of dementia: a systematic review and metaanalysis. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 9, 6375.Google Scholar
Sherbino, J. et al. (2015). Health Advocate. In Frank, J. R., Snell, L. and Sherbino, J. (eds.), CanMEDS 2015 Physician Competency Framework (pp. 2223). Ottawa: Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.Google Scholar
WONCA (2013). The Contribution of Family Medicine to Improving Health Systems. London: Radcliffe Publishing Ltd.Google Scholar
World Health Organisation (1978). Declaration of Alma-Ata [internet] International Conference on Primary Health Care, Alma-Ata, USSR, 6–12 September 1978 (cited 20th June 2017). Available at: http://www.who.int/publications/almaata_declaration_en.pdf?ua=1.Google Scholar
World Health Organisation (2016). Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030. Available at: http://www.who.int/hrh/resources/16059_Global_strategyWorkforce2030.pdf; last accessed 5 July 2017.Google Scholar