Improving knowledge, identification, support, and care for people with dementia: a scoping review of interventions

Abstract

Background: Dementia is a global challenge, but one that is hampered by inadequate knowledge and skills among health care professionals (HCPs). Objectives: This study aims to scope the range of interventions available for HCPs to improve their knowledge, diagnosis, and management of dementia. The scoping review was conducted to determine the extent of the interventions in terms of scope, intensity, duration, geographical areas represented, and methodologies used. Research design and methods: Online databases were used to identify papers published 2000–2024. We included studies that contained keywords relating to educational interventions that focused on health professionals’ knowledge, detection, and management of dementia. Additional papers were obtained through citation searches and by examining the reference lists. Results: Thirty-one articles, the majority from developed countries, were included in this review. Collaborative practice-based workshops, community-based interactive learning activities, and multimodal educational programs were the most effective interventions. Educational interventions are linked to HCPs’ confidence levels and are an essential step in understanding dementia characteristics, causes, risks, and paths to health promotion. Conclusions: HCPs can benefit from models that emphasize interdisciplinary approaches to knowledge, detection, and management of dementia. The potential to adapt successful models for use in developing countries is a challenge for the future.