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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Eugene TangORCiD, Dr Louise Robinson
This is the authors' accepted manuscript of an article that has been published in its final definitive form by Cambridge University Press, 2018.
For re-use rights please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions.
Considerable international governmental support is focused on the timely diagnosis of dementia and post-diagnostic care of people with dementia. Identifying those at high risk of dementia is one approach to timely diagnosis. General practitioners (GPs) are well-placed clinicians in the community to provide both pre- and post-diagnostic dementia care. However, GPs have in the past consistently demonstrated low confidence in both diagnosing dementia and providing care for these complex patients particularly for patients in the post-diagnostic phase. It is currently unclear how future GPs view dementia care. We aimed to evaluate the current attitudes and experiences of future GPs in dementia care and their views on targeting high risk groups. All (n = 513) GP trainees were approached by email to participate in a cross-sectional web and paper-based survey in the North of England. A further reminder was sent out two months after the initial invitation. We received 153 responses (29.8% response rate, 66.7% female, average age 31 (range 25–55 years old). The main difficulties encountered included coordinating supporting services for carers and the person with dementia and responding to co-existing behavioral and psychiatric symptoms. Further education in dementia management was considered to be important by respondents. GP trainees were generally very positive about their future role in caring for people with dementia, particularly in the area of earlier diagnosis via identification of high-risk individuals. Future GPs in one area of England are very positive about their key role in dementia care. In order to facilitate the delivery of high quality, community-based care, work is required to establish core post-diagnostic dementia support services. Further research is needed to identify effective systems to enable accurate assessment and to ensure earlier diagnosis in high-risk groups.
Author(s): Tang EY, Birdi R, Robinson L
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: International Psychogeriatrics
Year: 2018
Volume: 30
Issue: 3
Pages: 425-430
Print publication date: 01/03/2018
Online publication date: 09/08/2016
Acceptance date: 01/07/2016
Date deposited: 20/10/2016
ISSN (print): 1041-6102
ISSN (electronic): 1741-203X
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1041610216001204
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610216001204
PubMed id: 27502828
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