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Challenges to accessing community dementia care services: a qualitative study
Chandrika Ramakrishnan, Chetna Malhotra. BMC Health Services Research, 2025-05-23
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
We synthesized caregivers' multiple challenges under five themes - (1) lack of information and awareness limit perceived need for services, (2) cultural norms and values influence decision to seek services, (3) complex processes and long waiting times hinder ability to reach services, (4) financial constraints and high costs force alternate care arrangements, and (5) inability to meet expectations and lack of family support limit engagement with services. To overcome the challenges, participants suggested public education to reduce stigma around dementia; leveraging digital health to improve caregivers' access to information, healthcare providers, and social and emotional support; and revisiting financial policies to reduce high caregiving costs for dementia. The study highlights a range of challenges that hinder access to community dementia care services. There is an urgent need to redesign these services to better meet the needs of PWDs and their caregivers, thereby creating a more supportive and responsive care ecosystem.
Key findings
- We synthesized caregivers' multiple challenges under five themes - (1) lack of information and awareness limit perceived need for services, (2) cultural norms and values influence decision to seek services, (3) complex processes and long waiting times hinder ability to reach services, (4) financial constraints and high costs force alternate care arrangements, and (5) inability to meet expectations and lack of family support limit engagement with services.
- To overcome the challenges, participants suggested public education to reduce stigma around dementia; leveraging digital health to improve caregivers' access to information, healthcare providers, and social and emotional support; and revisiting financial policies to reduce high caregiving costs for dementia.
- The study highlights a range of challenges that hinder access to community dementia care services.
- There is an urgent need to redesign these services to better meet the needs of PWDs and their caregivers, thereby creating a more supportive and responsive care ecosystem.
Why it matters
This qualitative study grouped caregivers' challenges in accessing community dementia care into five themes, including lack of information, cultural norms, complex processes, costs, and limited family support. It calls for redesigning services to better meet the needs of people with dementia and their caregivers.
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Study details
- Participants22
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 44/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (BMC Health Services Research) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | BMC Health Services Research: journal h-index 218 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 22 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 8 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 8 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Chetna Malhotra: h-index 30 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | National University of Singapore: institution h-index 1,166 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40410863) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 44 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1186/s12913-025-12895-3
- PubMed: 40410863
- Original source →
- Free full text: BMC Health Services Research →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Ramakrishnan, C., & Malhotra, C. (2025). Challenges to accessing community dementia care services: a qualitative study. BMC Health Services Research. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-12895-3
Vancouver
Ramakrishnan C, Malhotra C. Challenges to accessing community dementia care services: a qualitative study. BMC Health Services Research. 2025. doi:10.1186/s12913-025-12895-3. PMID: 40410863.
BibTeX
@article{ramakrishnan2025-40410863,
author = {Ramakrishnan, Chandrika and Malhotra, Chetna},
title = {{Challenges to accessing community dementia care services: a qualitative study}},
journal = {BMC Health Services Research},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1186/s12913-025-12895-3},
pmid = {40410863},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-12895-3}
}
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