What do people with dementia and their carers want to know about neuroimaging for dementia?
Neuroimaging forms an important part of dementia diagnosis. Provision of information on neuroimaging to people with dementia and their carers may aid understanding of the pathological, physiological and psychosocial changes of the disease, and increase understanding of symptoms. This qualitative study aimed to investigate participants' knowledge of the dementia diagnosis pathway, their understanding of neuroimaging and its use in diagnosis, and to determine content requirements for a website providing neuroimaging information. Structured interviews and a focus group were conducted with carers and people with dementia. The findings demonstrate an unmet need for information on neuroimaging both before and after the examination. Carers were keen to know about neuroimaging at a practical and technical level to help avoid diagnosis denial. People with dementia requested greater information, but with a caveat to avoid overwhelming detail, and were less likely to favour an Internet resource.
School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin, Ireland.
Hannah
H
Featherstone
Diagnostic Imaging, School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin, Ireland.
Marie-Louise
ML
Butler
Diagnostic Imaging, School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin, Ireland.
Aurelia
A
Ciblis
Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.
Arun L
AL
Bokde
School of Psychology, Bangor University, Wales, UK.
Paul G
PG
Mullins
Diagnostic Imaging, School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin, Ireland.
Jonathan P
JP
McNulty
D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers; D003704:Dementia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059906:Neuroimaging; D036301:Qualitative Research
carers; dementia; diagnosis; focus groups; neuroimaging