Interventions to promote dementia knowledge among racial/ethnic minority groups: A systematic review

Abstract

Background: Certain racial/ethnic minority groups have a higher risk of developing dementia, yet studies have demonstrated that they often have limited knowledge and understanding of this disease. An increasing number of educational and advocacy programs have been developed to promote dementia knowledge. We aimed at assessing current evidence and quality regarding educational interventions for promoting dementia knowledge.

Methods: We searched for intervention studies published in English that focused on educational interventions for promoting dementia knowledge among racial/ethnic minority groups. We identified 25 relevant studies through PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Scopus, using tailored search terms. We screened titles and abstracts, reviewed full texts, synthesized relevant evidence, and evaluated the studies' quality based on the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Relevant intervention studies took place in communities, hospitals or clinics, and schools, and online.

Results: Most studies were conducted in the United States (n = 21), followed by the UK (n = 3). Over half of the studies included Asian/Pacific Islander groups (n = 14), followed by Black groups (n = 12) and Hispanic groups (n = 11). The intervention delivery mode varied across studies-from workshops hosted in a faith community to talk shows on YouTube. Target populations included middle-aged and older adults, caregivers and family members, health students and professionals, and elementary school students. Common content included symptoms and signs of dementia, protective and risk factors, and local resources. The assessment of study outcomes varied across studies. Improvement in dementia knowledge and attitudes towards dementia was reported in many studies. Among the included studies, intervention satisfaction was high. The overall quality of the interventions was low.

Conclusion: Formally evaluated educational interventions promoting dementia knowledge are at an early stage. Existing published interventions showed adequate acceptability and promise in promoting better understanding and awareness of dementia in minority groups. More well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed.

Keywords: dementia; interventions; race/ethnicity.

Figure 1:

Selection of eligible articles PRISMA flow diagram

Figure 2:

Summary of Study Findings by Outcomes; Quan improvement: Studies reported a statistically significant improvement in a given outcome; Qual improvement: Studies reported an improvement in a given outcome; however, the improvement was not statistically significant, or the results were assessed using qualitative methods; No improvement/Cannot tell: Studies did not report an improvement in a given outcome, or results from qualitative assessment did not suggest any changes.