What is the study about?

Dementia is a national and global priority. The number of people living with dementia is projected to double in the next 30 years, with associated economic costs predicted to treble to over £50 billion.  In the UK, nearly 1 million people are estimated to be living with dementia.

Rates of dementia are rising faster among ethnic communities than the rest of the population. However, many people living with dementia from minority ethnic communities face barriers to accessing formal care and support. They are often cared for by unpaid family members within their homes, who themselves often experience economic hardship and poorer health.  These communities are often excluded from research.

Our study explores the diverse care experiences of people from South Asian communities living with dementia or memory concerns in Newcastle, Nottingham and Birmingham. People from South Asian communities (for example Bangladeshi, Indian or Pakistani) are the largest minority ethnic group in the UK, accounting for 7% of the UK population. Research shows that cultural attitudes and values shape how to care for people living with dementia and support those caring for them.  Despite this evidence, many studies about dementia group minority ethnic communities together and ignore diversity. We know very little about how these diversities play out in dementia care.

For this project, we are going to study how social factors, such as gender, intersect with ethnicity and race to create cross-cutting inequalities, an underexplored area of dementia research. Our findings will be used to shape health and social care provision for people living with dementia and document the diverse caring practices within South Asian communities.

This project is funded by the National Institute for Health and Social Care Research and has received ethical approval from Newcastle University.

Images sourced from the Centre for Ageing Better.