Effects of an Enhanced Training on Primary Care Providers Knowledge, Attitudes, Service and Skills of Dementia Detection: A Cluster Randomized Trial

Abstract

Background: Effective training programs for primary care providers (PCPs) to support dementia detection are needed, especially in developing countries. This study aimed to investigate the effect of an enhanced training on the competency and service of PCPs for dementia detection.Methods: We conducted a cluster randomized trial in Beijing, China. Community healthcare centers (CHCs) located in Fengtai or Fangshan District were eligible. The enrolled CHCs in each district were randomly assigned to the standard or the enhanced training group at a 1:1 ratio. PCPs serving older adults in enrolled CHCs were eligible to participate. The standard training group received three-hour didactic lectures, three monthly supervisions, 3 months of online support and dementia screening packages. The enhanced training group additionally received three monthly face-to-face supervisions and 3 months of online support. The participants became aware of their group membership at the end of the standard training. The knowledge, attitudes, service, and skills regarding dementia detection were assessed using questionnaires and submitted dementia detection records, respectively.Results: A total of 23 and 21 CHCs were randomly assigned to the standard and the enhanced training group, respectively, and 58 participants from 20 CHCs assigned to the standard training group and 48 from 16 CHCs assigned to the enhanced training group were included in the final analysis (mean age 37.5 years, and 67.0% women). A significant increase in the knowledge score was found in both groups, but the increase was similar in the two groups (P = 0.262). The attitude score remained stable in both groups, and no between-group difference was found. Compared with the baseline, both groups reported an increase in dementia detection service, especially the enhanced training group (24.1% to 31.0% in the standard training group and 14.6% to 45.8% in the enhanced training group). The completion rate and accuracy of submitted dementia detection records in the enhanced training group were both significantly higher than those in the standard training group (both P < 0.001).Conclusion: The enhanced training had similar effect on the knowledge of PCPs comparing with the standard training, but was better on continuous service and skills of PCPs related to dementia detection.Trial registration:www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT02782000. Registration date: May 2016. The trial was completed in July 2017.

Competency development for a volunteer navigation program to support caregivers of people living with dementia: A modified e-Delphi method

“…Findings from this study suggest that volunteers can support care-partners to use their knowledge in interactions with healthcare providers. Care-partners have highlighted a lack of dementia knowledge among healthcare providers (Peterson et al, 2016), which can present in the form of negative attitudes, lack of skills, and poor detection and management of dementia (Lv et al, 2021). This has been attributed in part to the lack of dementia specific education across provider programs (Keane et al, 2020).…”

Prevalence and correlates of suspected dementia in older adults receiving primary healthcare in Wuhan, China: A multicenter cross-sectional survey

“…In China, because of the filial piety model of family centered care, 85% of the PLwD live at home and are cared by their family/informal caregivers ( 7 , 10 – 12 ). In the context of the shortage of qualified specialists in old age psychiatry and neurology and the wide availability and accessibility of primary healthcare services in communities in China, primary healthcare settings provide a good avenue for the early recognition of older adults with cognitive disorders ( 13 , 14 ). For example, primary healthcare physicians (PCPs) can be trained to acquire skills to screen for older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early dementia.…”