The right to rehabilitation for people with dementia: Implementation and evaluation of the "INCLUDE" interventions - Trial ANZCTR12623001029684

Timeline & Enrollment

Primary Outcome

Stigma about dementia rehabilitation using: a) the General Practitioners’ Attitudes and Confidence towards Dementia Survey (GPACS-D) for GPs or b) the Dementia Attitudes Scale (DAS) for allied health professionals and other health professionals, and c) a customised survey regarding beliefs about dementia rehabilitation for GPs, allied health professionals and other health professionals.;; Knowledge about dementia rehabilitation using: The Dementia knowledge assessment scale (DKAS) for all participants (GPs, Allied health professionals and other health professionals) ;; Community of practice (Multidisciplinary collaboration in professional networks) using: A social network analysis based on participants' responses to the following questions: a) Do you know the following people (names of participants in this study)? Knowing each other is defined as ‘knowing the face, having talked to each with other, or having heard of.’ Responses could be one of the following: -No -Yes (know the face or have heard of) -Yes (have talked to/corresponded with) b) Have you had professional contact with the following people (names of participants in this study)? Professional contact is defined as ‘having had professional contact about at least one patient/client (any condition not just dementia) who you are treating / have treated (including referral letters, emails, telephone contact, team meetings). Responses could be one of the following: -No -Yes (regarding one person with any condition, not just dementia) -Yes (regarding more than one person with any condition, not just dementia) c) Have you had professional contact with the following people (names of participants in this study) in relation to a person with dementia? Professional contact is defined as ‘having had professional contact about at least one person with dementia who you are treating / have treated (including referral letters, emails, telephone contact, team meetings). Responses could be one of the following: -No -Yes (regarding one person with dementia) -Yes (regarding more than one person with dementia)

Summary

There is evidence for rehabilitation interventions to reduce disability and improve wellbeing for people with dementia. However, experiences of people with dementia with rehabilitative treatments are almost non-existent. There are barriers and challenges at multiple levels: 1) Health professional stigma about the value of rehabilitation for people with dementia and their ability to engage in therapy, 2) Low levels of knowledge about the evidence for dementia rehabilitation exist, which is also likely to contribute to stigma, 3) People with dementia and their care partners find services hard to navigate and report needing information to empower them to ask for rehabilitation and support to access it, 4) No clear model or pathway in the system for providing rehabilitation for people with dementia. Given the evidence for rehabilitation interventions to reduce disability and improve wellbeing in people with dementia, there is much need in addressing stigma and low knowledge, to overcome challenges to promote rehabilitation access for people with dementia. Co-design workshops have been held to determine strategies to address stigma and challenges to rehabilitation access for people with dementia. A package of solutions “INCLUDE” has been decided on (A dementia rehabilitation e-module, a community of practice, and GP/GP practice nurse dementia training). We will test and evaluate their implementation in the South Eastern and Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network areas. The specific aims are to determine: 1. The number, type, work setting, and proportion of health professionals (GPs, practice nurses, allied health professionals (AHPs) and other professionals) who agree to participate in the study and partake in any of the INCLUDE solutions 2. The effect of the INCLUDE solutions (e-module, GP training and Community of Practice) on change in stigma and knowledge about dementia rehabilitation 3. The effect of the e-module and community of practice on change in: a. social networks b. number of people seen with dementia by allied health professionals and c. number of advocacy actions and changes to practice by members in their workplace 4. Acceptability, satisfaction and perceived sustainability with each of the INCLUDE solutions

ICD-10 Classifications