DISSERTATION PROPOSAL

Determining Ways to Increase Involvement of People with Dementia in Research

Determining Ways to Increase Involvement of People with Dementia in Research

Introduction

Background

More than seven hundred and fifty thousand people living in United Kingdom are reported to be inflicted with one form of dementia. This high figure of affected individuals is estimated to be doubled in the next thirty years. Dementia can easily be identified as one of the most common mental illnesses prevalent in the UK as compared to cancer or other major ailment. This has motivated the government to pledge its commitment towards improving measures for combating dementia and increase awareness about this ailment amongst the masses. Moreover, the government is also focused towards in improving the care provisions for both the patients and their care providers through transforming the dementia services to provide high quality treatment at any stage of the illness, throughout UK (www.dh.gov.uk).

Conversely, one of the most principle government initiated project dedicated to the cause of dementia is the Prime Minister Challenge on Dementia, which was launched by Prime Minister David Cameron in March 2012. This scheme is comes under the auspices of the Alzheimer's Society UK. This challenge or project is the biggest scheme related to a specific ailment in UK in recent years and focuses upon making the everyday life of the dementia affected people through transforming the manner in which they themselves and the general public talks, acts and thinks about this ailment (www.dementia.dh.gov.uk).

Problem Statement

In UK alone, dementia is now a major health concern for individuals of over fifty years of age. The estimated economic costs pertaining to this ailment is more than that of heart disease or cancer. Supporting this grave health scenario lays the existence of poor and low diagnosis rate, access to proper dementia care services, high treatment costs, neglect and inadequate advice and support to the patients and carers, which in return greatly influences the care provision by carers as well. Moreover, research has been identified as an important in order to derive a cure and devise better care services for the dementia affected patients. However, the research participant rates for dementia research are extremely poor. This inadvertently casts shadows on all the efforts being put in by the care providers, dementia researchers and the government, who has pledged large amount of funding dedicated to dementia research. Thus, this study aims to explore the possible reasons behind the poor research participant rates for dementia research.

Rationale for Selection

As highlighted above, dementia is one of the leading illnesses prevalent in UK today. Despite government's support and funding, the research aspect of this ailment is facing issues in terms of lack of research participants. By exploring the reasons or causes for low level of participation would prove this study to be a helpful resource for the medical students, aspiring medical researchers and care providers related to the field of dementia. As well as, this study will hopefully benefit both dementia affected patients and relevant government agencies to understand the reasons behind ...