Feature: Dementia: an international crisis?

Abstract

A new report published by the World Health Organization (WHO) has called for countries across the world to address the serious problem of dementia An ageing population has significant health consequences. With the risk of dementia increasing over 65 years of age, and with more people living longer than this, dementia has become a worldwide problem that will, and does, affect the whole of society. Dementia is an umbrella term that covers a range of diseases and conditions that damage the brain, the most common being Alzheimer's disease. These diseases cause a variety of common symptoms, including a loss of memory, changes in mood, and problems with reasoning and communicating. Dementia is a progressive condition, with symptoms gradually getting worse for up to seven to ten years. Although there is currently no cure for dementia, drugs do exist that can improve the symptoms of dementia or slow down the progress of the disease in some people. Currently 35.6 million people are living with dementia across the world. This figure is expected to double by 2030, and more than triple by 2050. Caring for someone with dementia can be costly, with total estimations at more than £375 billion per year, when taking into account health and social care costs and the loss of earnings for those with dementia and their carers. Therefore it is indisputable that a strategy is needed to deal with the extent of this problem, and to plan for the future. Dementia: a public health priority In April 2012 the World Health Organization (WHO) published Dementia: A Public Health Priority, developed with Alzheimer's Disease International.1 The purpose of this report is to make dementia a public health priority, to raise awareness of the problems, and to encourage action at international and national levels. At the moment only eight countries have a plan to deal with dementia and the WHO recommends more plans are put in place. The report points to the need for societies throughout the world to be prepared for the economic and social burden of Dementia needs to be made a public health priority because of the number of people affected by the condition, and the strain that long-term care puts upon health and social care systems, and consequently budgets. The economic burden on families has caused millions of households to fall below the poverty line, and with the cost of care increasing faster than the prevalence, the report highlights the urgent need to act. Early diagnosis is key for ensuring effective treatment and the report calls for an improvement in symptoms being recognised early. Currently only one fifth to one half of cases are diagnosed, and this is often made at a late stage of the disease. If dementia is recognised early, health and social care can be given to alleviate the burden. The report also highlights the lack of information available and the poor understanding of dementia; both of which can delay diagnosis and cause stigma around the disease which then leads to the social isolation of those people suffering. Marc Wortmann, Executive Director, Alzheimer's Disease International, says: is now vital to tackle the poor levels of public awareness and understanding, and to drastically reduce the stigma associated with dementia. Fear of this contributes to a delay in seeking diagnosis, social support and health assistance. Carers are often the forgotten sufferers. The report recommends that more support is given to carers who are often spouses or other family members. Carers themselves can often be prone to mental disorders, are in poor physical health and suffer economic costs. It has been recommended that carers are involved in designing programmes to offer more support for people suffering from dementia and their carers. Community-based services are recommended for offering cost-effective, valuable support for families. The report also recognises that there is a need for health workforce training, so that health care professionals are able to provide suitable care. …