Reviewing challenges and gaps in European and global dementia policy
| Pages | 157-167 |
| Published date | 17 December 2018 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMH-02-2018-0012 |
| Date | 17 December 2018 |
| Author | Toni Wright,Stephen O’Connor |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Public mental health |
Reviewing challenges and gaps in
European and global dementia policy
Toni Wright and Stephen O’Connor
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to scope out European and global policy documents focused
on dementia with the purpose of providing a synthesis of the challenges the phenomenon poses and the
gaps evident.
Design/methodology/approach –An adapted PESTEL framework as a data extraction tool resulted in an
analysis of the political, economic, social, technological, environmental, organisational, educational and
research aspects of dementia policy.
Findings –Policy documents showed variability of dementia strategy, plan and programme development.
All documents recognised rapidly growing ageing populations, and increasing numbers of people living with
dementia. Dementia as a public health priority is inconsistent in growth. Global policy documents stress the
impact of dementia will be felt most by low- and middle-income countries. Main themes were: a need to raise
awareness of dementia and action to reduce stigma around it, the need for early diagnosis and preventative
person-centred approaches with integrated care, fiscal investment, further research, training and education
for workforces, increased involvement of and support for people living with dementia and care and support
close to home.
Practical implications –By identifying current dementia challenges and policy gap implications this analysis
urges engagement with broader frames of reference as potential for enabling bolder and radically better
dementia care models.
Originality/value –This paper offers a review of present global and European dementia policy,
outlining the potential implications for the most marginalised in society if it fails to be critical of its own
underpinning assumptions.
Keywords Dementia policy, International perspectives, Marginalized peoples, Public health priorities
Paper type General review
Background
Aim and purpose
The aim of this reviewis to scope out European and global policydocuments focused on dementia
with the purpose of identifying and providinga synthesis of the challenges which thephenomenon
poses across populations and regions, as well as the gaps evident in existing policy.
Search strategy
A desktop search concentrated on finding international and national documents focused on
European and global dementia policy from 2010 onwards. Where various versions of policy
documents were uncovered, to maintain timeliness, the superseded versions of documents
were not considered. The search terms used are listed in Box 1. A total of 37 relevant policy
documents were discovered. In total, 28 related to European country contexts and 9 to world/
global overviews. Of the 28 European policy documents, 13 had no full English version[1],
although there were brief English summaries available via web content, so these are included in
the review. The remaining 15 European documents had full English versions[2]. All of the nine
world/global documents had full English versions.
Received 14 February 2018
Revised 3 September 2018
Accepted 10 October 2018
© Toni Wright and Stephen
O’Connor. Published by Emerald
Publishing Limited. This article is
published under the Creative
Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0)
licence. Anyone may reproduce,
distribute, translate and create
derivative works of this article (for
both commercial & non-
commercial purposes), subject to
full attribution to the original
publication and authors. The full
terms of this licence may be seen
at http://creativecommons.org/
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Interreg 2 Seas Mers Zeeen
(Funder), The Health and Europe
Centre (Lead partner), East Kent
Hospitals University NHS
Foundation Trust, Medway
Community Healthcare,
Canterbury Christ Church
University, ZorgSaam, Emmaus
Elderly Care, Flemish Expertise
Centre on Dementia, Residential
Care Holy Heart, HZ University of
Applied Sciences, University of
Lille 3. This paper was written as
an output from the CASCADE
project that is currently only part
way through. This policy analysis
paper was written at the beginning
of the project.
Toni Wright and Stephen
O’Connor are both based at
the England Centre for Practice
Development, Canterbury
Christ Church University,
Canterbury, UK.
DOI 10.1108/JPMH-02-2018-0012 VOL. 17 NO. 4 2018, pp. 157-167, Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1746-5729
j
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC MENTALHEALTH
j
PAG E 15 7
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