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A survey of services for younger people with dementia
Author(s) -
Barber Robert
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1166(199709)12:9<951::aid-gps671>3.0.co;2-k
Subject(s) - dementia , medicine , psychiatry , gerontology , family medicine , disease , pathology
Objective . To identify the provision of services for younger people with dementia by trusts in England and to examine their attitudes towards specialization. Design . Postal survey. Participants . Hospital and community trusts in England. Of 354 trusts, 304 responded (84%). Main outcome measures . Provision of general adult and old age psychiatry services: type of services provided for younger people with dementia and specialists providing these services; provision of specialists services for younger people with dementia; attitudes towards developing specialists services; assessment of need. Results . The majority of services were provided by trusts with existing psychiatric services, in particular old age psychiatry services. Specialization was uncommon and practised by only 12 trusts. In contrast, 101 trusts saw the development of specialists services as ‘necessary’, especially those trusts who had investigated the needs of younger patients with dementia ( p = 0.001). Conclusion . This survey supports the notion that trusts and purchasers should undertake to assess the needs of younger patients with dementia. Role of specialization is discussed. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.