Help-seeking for dementia a systematic review of the literature

Background: Help-seeking (HS) for dementia presents a great challenge, especially because a timely and appropriate HS process might be associated with better outcomes for the person with dementia, their caregivers, and society. A clear understanding of the HS concept and its measurement in the area of dementia might improve the effectiveness of the process. Aims: The aims of our systematic review were: (1) to systematically obtain and evaluate the relevant literature on HS and dementia; and (2) to summarize current research findings and draw conclusions for future research and clinical care in this area. Method: A systematic review of the literature on HS and dementia was conducted up till June 2013. Results: From the 478 retrieved articles, 48 were included in the review. Conceptually, the studies examined professional and nonprofessional sources of help; showed preference for seeking help from close relatives followed by primary health caregivers; and identified inadequate knowledge and stigmatic beliefs as the main barriers to HS. The majority of the studies did not rely on a theoretical framework. Conclusions: Although the body of literature in the area of HS and dementia is growing, several conceptual and methodological limitations still have to be resolved to advance knowledge in the area.