Percepción, actitudes y necesidades de los profesionales de atención primaria con relación al paciente con demencia

Abstract

This study provides useful information for those involved in the care of dementia. It identifies priority training issues, and barriers and difficulties in the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of these patients in the field of primary care.

Knowledge, attitudes, and qualification needs of primary health care professionals in the care of dementia

“…The results revealed in this study corroborate specialized literature, which highlights: the moderate phase as the one in which the diagnosis of dementia is most commonly made; doctors' low confidence in making the diagnosis, since most of them do not diagnose the dementia subtype, preferring to refer the patient to a specialist; the difficulty in differentiating the signs and symptoms of dementia from normal aging and from geriatric depression; the lack of time and little confidence when issuing the diagnosis (10,(15)(16)(17)(18) .…”

“…Data collection was performed through a self-application by the professionals of the instrument Health Care for Dementia: the Primary Care perspective, in its versions for doctors (SCDPCP-D) and nurses (SCDPCP -N), translated and culturally adapted for Brazil (14) , the original version being of Spanish origin (10) . SCDPCP-D contains 28 questions, including a case study; SCDPCP -N has 16 questions.…”

“…In addition, not all the detected cases are referred to specialized services to carry out the etiological diagnosis. Among the reasons for the lack of referral, doubts by the health professionals and family members regarding the benefits that the etiological diagnosis can bring to the patient's quality of life (10) is predominant.…”

Calidad del registro del diagnóstico de demencia en atención primaria. La situación en España en el periodo 2002-2011

“…Es decir, la estimación de pacientes con demencia con los datos de diagnóstico en HCE presenta un infrarregistro del 29%. De las barreras referidas por los médicos para el diagnóstico de demencia4, 5, 22, la escasa confianza en el diagnóstico y en las opciones terapéuticas y la falta de tiempo en la consulta podrían explicar tanto el infradiagnóstico de demencia como retrasos en el registro, una vez realizado el diagnóstico.…”

Professional education on dementias in Primary Health Care: an integrative review

“…In most western countries, primary care services are in a better position to provide comprehensive health care for patients with dementia (10) than they are in Brazil. The Ministry of Health has developed permanent education proposals for health professionals to be able to promote active and healthy aging.…”