GPs’ difficult decisions about acute illness in people with dementia, with particular reference to Covid-19 [COVID-19]
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring GPs’ experience of difficult decisions in managing acute illness in people with dementia
IRAS ID
279591
Contact name
Samuel Lassa
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Sheffield
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
This is a qualitative interview study of GPs about difficult decisions relating to the management of acute illness in people with dementia.\n \nIn the UK, dementia affects 850,000 people. One in every 14 people over 65 years will develop dementia. Although dementia is not, in itself an acute medical condition, it accounts for a large number of emergency hospital admission in older persons. An estimated 42% of unplanned acute hospital admissions among those aged 70 and above involve patients with dementia. As GP assessment and admission is one of the pathways to acute hospital care, it is important to understand how GPs make decisions about acute care for people with dementia and intercurrent acute illness. This understanding will help in better targeting strategies that will meet the needs of GPs, dementia patients, their families and carers.\n\nThis is a qualitative study, conducting 15 semi-structured interviews with GPs who have managed dementia patients with acute illnesses, in an attempt to hear from them in their own words how they have dealt with ’ difficult decisions’ in the management of these patients. The aim is to fill the literature gap about how GPs make decisions about managing acute illness in people with dementia because this has serious implications on how we are able to assess the factors that influence the access and equity of care in older patients.\n
REC name
N/A
REC reference
N/A