Low Lee-Fay, Barcenilla-Wong Annica, Laver Kate, Yates Mark, Gibson Caroline, Shen Sam, Hall Danika, Brodaty Henry, Pond Dimity, Comans Tracy, Cations Monica, Gresham Meredith, Laranjo Liliana, Tan Edwin C K, Phillipson Lyn
Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.
Aging Ment Health. 2025 May;29(5):814-823. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2024.2430537. Epub 2024 Nov 23.
This paper aimed to develop a model to describe help-seeking for dementia diagnosis. The practical model is intended to guide public health interventions to increase help-seeking.
The model was developed by our multidisciplinary team based on qualitative semi-structured interviews in English ( = 33) and Chinese ( = 8) with older people, people with dementia and carers. The model was also informed by systematic reviews on help-seeking for dementia diagnosis, theories of help-seeking and further iterated based on feedback from a co-design group ( = 10).
The model starts with changes which might be symptoms of dementia being observed by the person or family/friends and ends in dementia assessment. Model steps are (1) The person deciding that the changes represent a health problem; (2) obtaining support or confirmation from family/friends that the changes are a health problem; (3) deciding to seek medical help; and (4) persuading the GP to facilitate dementia assessment. The model applies to English and Chinese-speaking Australians, though there were additional barriers for Chinese speakers. There are personal, family, community and health system barriers at each step.
Interventions to improve diagnosis of dementia might target public knowledge of dementia symptoms and benefits of a diagnosis, and general practice.
