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BackgroundDementia describes a cluster of symptoms that includes memory loss; difficulties with thinking, problem solving, or language; and functional impairment. Dementia can be caused by a number of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer disease and cerebrovascular disease. Currently in New Zealand, most of the systematically collected and detailed information on dementia is obtained through a suite of International Residential Assessment Instrument (interRAI) assessments, including the home care, contact assessment, and long-term care facility versions. These versions of interRAI are standardized comprehensive geriatric assessments. Patients are referred to have an interRAI assessment by the Needs Assessment and Service Coordination (NASC) services after a series of screening processes. Previous estimates of the prevalence and costs of dementia in New Zealand have been based on international studies with different populations and health and social care systems. This new local knowledge will have implications for estimating the demographic distribution and socioeconomic impact of dementia in New Zealand. ObjectiveThis study investigates the prevalence of dementia, risk factors for dementia, and drivers of the informal cost of dementia among people registered in the NASC database in New Zealand. MethodsThis study aims to analyze secondary data routinely collected by the NASC and interRAI (home care and contact assessment versions) databases between July 1, 2014, and July 1, 2019, in New Zealand. The databases will be linked to produce an integrated data set, which will be used to (1) investigate the sociodemographic and clinical risk factors associated with dementia and other neurological conditions, (2) estimate the prevalence of dementia using weighting methods for complex samples, and (3) identify the cost of informal care per client (in number of hours of care provided by unpaid carers) and the drivers of such costs. We will use design-based survey methods for the estimation of prevalence and generalized estimating equations for regression models and correlated and longitudinal data. ResultsThe results will provide much needed statistics regarding dementia prevalence and risk factors and the cost of informal care for people living with dementia in New Zealand. Potential health inequities for different ethnic groups will be highlighted, which can then be used by decision makers to inform the development of policy and practice. ConclusionsAs of November 2020, there were no dementia prevalence studies or studies on informal care costs of dementia using national data from New Zealand. All existing studies have used data from other populations with substantially different demographic distributions. This study will give insight into the actual prevalence, risk factors, and informal care costs of dementia for the population with support needs in New Zealand. It will provide valuable information to improve health outcomes and better inform policy and planning. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/20225

Introduction: Recent estimations have projected a threefold increase in dementia prevalence in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) by 2050, particularly in Maori and Pacific peoples. However, to date, there are no national data on dementia prevalence, and overseas data are used to estimate the NZ dementia statistics. The aim of this feasibility study was to prepare the groundwork for the first full-scale NZ dementia prevalence study that is representative of Māori, European, Pacific and Asian peoples living in NZ. Methods: The main feasibility issues were: (i) Sampling to ensure adequate community representation from the included ethnic groups, (ii) Preparing a workforce to conduct the fieldwork and developing quality control, (iii) Raising awareness of the study in the communities (iv) Maximizing recruitment by door-knocking, (v) Retaining those we have recruited to the study and (vi) Acceptability of study recruitment and assessment using adapted versions of the 10/66 dementia protocol in different ethnic groups living in South Auckland. Results: We found that a probability sampling strategy using NZ Census data was reasonably accurate and all ethnic groups were sampled effectively. We demonstrated that we were able to train up a multi-ethnic workforce consisting of lay interviewers who were able to administer the 10/66 dementia protocol in community settings. The response rate (224/297, 75.5%) at the door-knocking stage was good but attrition at subsequent stages was high and only 75/297 (25.2%) received the full interview. Conclusions: Our study showed that it would be feasible to conduct a population-based dementia prevalence study using the 10/66 dementia protocol in Māori, European and Asian communities living in NZ, utilizing a qualified, skilled research team representative of the families participating in the study. The study has demonstrated that for recruitment and interviewing in Pacific communities a different but culturally appropriate approach is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to conduct an in-depth survey of the psychiatric care provided for medically ill older adults in general hospitals in New Zealand (NZ). Method: As part of a larger survey of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry (CLP) services for all ages in NZ (CLPSNZ-2), a 44-question survey was emailed to clinicians who were involved in providing psychiatric care for medically ill older adults at each of the 16 general hospitals with designated CLP services. Results: Responses were obtained from 22 services at 16 hospitals – 14 CLP services and eight Psychiatry of Old Age (POA) in-reach services. These services were found to be under-resourced, operate with highly variable service models, and predominantly provide inpatient consultations. Services could be conceptualised as six prototypes with variations of POA in-reach to hospitals, scope of CLP cover and collaboration between services. Conclusion: The heterogeneity in the psychiatric care for medically ill older adults in NZ means that there is an urgent need to develop more consistent CLP service models that better serve the specialist needs of older adults, and establish the policies, resources and standards needed to support them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Anti-dementia medications such as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are an important part of the management pathway for dementia. However, there are limited data in New Zealand that have examined the rates and patterns of use of funded anti-dementia medication and how use differs with ethnicity, age and sex. Methods: This was a retrospective population-based descriptive study. Using the Integrated Data Infrastructure, we identified individuals of all ages coded for a diagnosis of dementia and estimated the proportion dispensed funded anti-dementia medication – donepezil tablets and rivastigmine patches – between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2020. Rates of medication use in five main ethnic groups (Māori, Pacific peoples, Asian, European, and Middle Eastern, Latin American and African) in the <65, 65–79 and 80 and over (80+) age groups were compared and also between males and females in all sub-groups. Logbinomial models were used to calculate relative risks to determine any differences in anti-dementia medication use in the five ethnic groups and the three age groups and between males and females in each of the four study years. Results: Overall, one-third of the dementia population received a funded anti-dementia medication in the total population (all ages) between 2016 and 2020. Donepezil tablets were dispensed in 31.6–34.0% and rivastigmine patches in 1.4–2.1% across the four study years. Compared to people of European ethnicity, Māori, Pacific peoples, and Middle Eastern, Latin American and African groups were less likely to be dispensed an anti-dementia medication (Māori: relative risk = 0.79–0.81, p < 0.0001; Pacific peoples: relative risk = 0.72–0.74, p < 0.0001; Middle Eastern, Latin American and African: relative risk = 0.73–0.78, p < 0.05). Compared to the age 80+ group, the 65–79 age group was more likely (relative risk = 1.50–1.54, p < 0.0001), while the age <65 group was less likely (relative risk = 0.67–0.71, p < 0.0001) to be dispensed an anti-dementia medication. There were no statistically significant differences in anti-dementia medication use between males and females. Conclusion: This study provides important information about funded anti-dementia medication use in New Zealand and how this differs by ethnicity, age and sex. Despite higher dementia prevalence in Māori and Pacific peoples, these groups were less likely to receive funded anti-dementia medication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]