Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2018 Nov 28;15(12):2679.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph15122679.

Utilization of Formal and Informal Care by Community-Living People with Dementia: A Comparative Study between Sweden and Italy

Carlos Chiatti  1 , Danae Rodríguez Gatta  2 , Agneta Malmgren Fänge  3 , Valerio Mattia Scandali  4 , Filippo Masera  5 , Connie Lethin  6   7 ; UP-TECH and TECH@HOME research groups
Affiliations

Utilization of Formal and Informal Care by Community-Living People with Dementia: A Comparative Study between Sweden and Italy

Carlos Chiatti et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: Dementia is a public health priority with a dramatic social and economic impact on people with dementia (PwD), their caregivers and societies. The aim of this study was to contribute to the knowledge on how utilization of formal and informal care varies between Sweden and Italy. Methods: Data were retrieved from two trials: TECH@HOME (Sweden) and UP-TECH (Italy). The sample consisted of 89 Swedish and 317 Italian dyads (PwD and caregivers). Using bivariate analysis, we compared demographic characteristics and informal resource utilization. Multiple linear regression was performed to analyze factors associated with time spent on care by the informal caregivers. Results: Swedish participants utilized more frequently health care and social services. Informal caregivers in Italy spent more time in caregiving than the Swedish ones (6.3 and 3.7 h per day, respectively). Factors associated with an increased time were country of origin, PwD level of dependency, living situation, use of formal care services and occupation. Conclusions: Care and service utilization significantly varies between Sweden and Italy. The level of formal care support received by the caregivers has a significant impact on time spent on informal care. Knowledge on the factors triggering formal care resources utilization by PwD and their caregivers might further support care services planning and delivery across different countries.

Keywords: cognitive disorder; dementia; dementia care; formal care; health services; informal care; resource utilization.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. World Health Organization . Global Action Plan on the Public Health Response to Dementia 2017–2025. World Health Organization; Geneva, Switzerland: 2017.
    1. World Health Organization . Dementia: A Public Health Priority. World Health Organization; Geneva, Switzerland: 2012.
    1. World Health Organization . The Epidemiology and Impact of Dementia. Current State and Future Trends. World Health Organization; Geneva, Switzerland: 2015.
    1. Alzheimer’s Disease International . World Alzheimer Report 2015. The Global Impact of Dementia. An Analysis of Prevalence, Incidence, Cost and Trends. Alzheimer’s Disease International; London, UK: 2015.
    1. Chiatti C., Melchiorre M.G., Rosa M.D., Principi A., Santini S., Döhner H., Lamura G. Aging in European Societies: Healthy Aging in Europe. Springer; Boston, MA, USA: 2013. Family networks and supports in older age; pp. 133–150.

Publication types