TY - JOUR

T1 - Barriers in access to dementia care in minority ethnic groups in Denmark

T2 - a qualitative study

AU - Nielsen, T. Rune

AU - Nielsen, Dorthe S.

AU - Waldemar, Gunhild

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2020, © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Objectives: To explore barriers in access to dementia care in Turkish, Pakistani and Arabic speaking minority ethnic groups in Denmark. Method: Semi-structured qualitative individual- and group interviews with minority ethnic family carers, primary care dementia coordinators, staff in elderly daycare, and multicultural link workers. Hermeneutic phenomenology was used as theoretical framework. Results: A total of 21 individual- and 6 group interviews were conducted, including a total of 35 participants. On the service user side, barriers in access to dementia care were related to lacking language proficiency and strong cultural norms, including familial responsibility for the care of older family members and stigma associated with mental illness and dementia. On the care provider side, the available formal services were rarely tailored to the specific needs of minority ethnic service users and were often considered inadequate or unacceptable. Conclusion: Care practices and perceived consequences of dementia in minority ethnic communities were heavily influenced by cultural factors leading to a number of persisting barriers to accessing dementia care services. There is a simultaneous need to raise awareness about dementia and the existence of dementia care services in minority ethnic groups, to reduce stigma, and to develop culturally appropriate dementia care options.

AB - Objectives: To explore barriers in access to dementia care in Turkish, Pakistani and Arabic speaking minority ethnic groups in Denmark. Method: Semi-structured qualitative individual- and group interviews with minority ethnic family carers, primary care dementia coordinators, staff in elderly daycare, and multicultural link workers. Hermeneutic phenomenology was used as theoretical framework. Results: A total of 21 individual- and 6 group interviews were conducted, including a total of 35 participants. On the service user side, barriers in access to dementia care were related to lacking language proficiency and strong cultural norms, including familial responsibility for the care of older family members and stigma associated with mental illness and dementia. On the care provider side, the available formal services were rarely tailored to the specific needs of minority ethnic service users and were often considered inadequate or unacceptable. Conclusion: Care practices and perceived consequences of dementia in minority ethnic communities were heavily influenced by cultural factors leading to a number of persisting barriers to accessing dementia care services. There is a simultaneous need to raise awareness about dementia and the existence of dementia care services in minority ethnic groups, to reduce stigma, and to develop culturally appropriate dementia care options.

KW - access

KW - Dementia

KW - ethnicity

KW - healthcare

KW - inequality

KW - minority

U2 - 10.1080/13607863.2020.1787336

DO - 10.1080/13607863.2020.1787336

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 32619352

AN - SCOPUS:85087611311

VL - 25

SP - 1424

EP - 1432

JO - Aging & Mental Health

JF - Aging & Mental Health

SN - 1360-7863

IS - 8

ER -