Assessing Dementia in Resource-Poor Regions

Authors

Gladys E. Maestre, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2012

Abstract

The numbers and proportions of elderly are increasing rapidly in developing countries, where prevalence of dementia is often high. Providing cost-effective services for dementia sufferers and their caregivers in these resourcepoor regions poses numerous challenges; developing resources for diagnosis must be the first step. Capacity building for diagnosis involves training and education of healthcare providers, as well as the general public, development of infrastructure, and resolution of economic and ethical issues. Recent progress in some low-to-middle-income countries (LMICs) provides evidence that partnerships between wealthy and resource-poor countries, and between developing countries, can improve diagnostic capabilities. Without the involvement of the mental health community of developed countries in such capacity-building programs, dementia in the developing world is a disaster waiting to happen.

Comments

Original published version available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11910-012-0300-9

Recommended Citation

Maestre, G.E. Assessing Dementia in Resource-Poor Regions. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 12, 511–519 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11910-012-0300-9

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

First Page

511

Last Page

519

Publication Title

Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports

DOI

10.1007/s11910-012-0300-9

Academic Level

faculty

Mentor/PI Department

Neuroscience