Carer Empowerment Is Key to Reduce Dementia Care Inequalities in the Middle East

Syed Fahad Javaid, Aishah Al-Zahmi and Munir Abbas
Additional contact information
Syed Fahad Javaid: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 17666, United Arab Emirates
Aishah Al-Zahmi: Behavioral Sciences Institute, Al-Ain Hospital, Al-Ain P.O. Box 1006, United Arab Emirates
Munir Abbas: Behavioral Sciences Institute, Al-Ain Hospital, Al-Ain P.O. Box 1006, United Arab Emirates

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 8, 1-5

Abstract: Dementia represents a significant problem in the Middle East. Sociocultural and political factors that shape conceptions of health and care tend to stifle research and the dissemination of knowledge throughout the Middle East. These socio-political challenges concerning engagement with individuals living with dementia and their carers include language barriers, stigmatization, logistical constraints, lack of informal support outside of hospitals, and over-dependence on clinicians for dementia information. There is an urgent need in the Middle East to increase care and support for adults with dementia and their carers, enhance research efforts and improve the dissemination of information related to dementia in the region. One possible way to do so is to begin to promote a knowledge-based culture throughout the Middle East. This can be achieved by aligning traditional deterministic and spiritual perspectives of mental health with more Western, scientific, and evidence-based models. We suggest employing practical, multidimensional approaches to deal with the stated challenges, both at individual and societal levels. Doing so will improve knowledge of dementia and allow health and social care systems in the Middle East to begin to address a growing problem.

Keywords: dementia; Middle East; carers; health inequality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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