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Developing a best-practice guide to support care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living with cognitive impairment and dementia: Prioritising inclusivity, consensus-building and cultural values
Jo‐anne Hughson, Mary K Belfrage, Harold Douglas, Dawn C Bessarab, Venessa Curnow, Roslyn Malay, Dallas McKeown, Robyn A Smith et al.. SSM - Mental Health, 2025-03-03
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Dementia is a global health issue. Although best-practice guidelines for detection and management of dementia exist for primary care, there is a pressing need for culturally appropriate resources to support care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with cognitive impairment and dementia. A best-practice guide (BPG) for cognitive and dementia care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people attending primary care was developed incorporating evidence-based clinical care recommendations and cultural dimensions. Adopting research approaches characterised by inclusivity and collaboration, guide development included: (i) a planning phase with stakeholders; (ii) literature review; (iii) a draft development phase; (iv) a modified Delphi (e-Delphi) process; (v) in-depth cultural review by the project’s Indigenous Reference Group and health service staff; (vi) and final clinical review. Stakeholders wanted a BPG that was: comprehensive, easy to follow and practical; incorporated cultural considerations and took account of the ongoing effects of colonisation. A two-part e-Delphi process, completed by 39 and 31 purposively selected participants respectively, reached consensus on: guide aims; cultural principles for inclusion; detection processes; future planning; referral to specialist cognition and palliative care services. Cultural review resulted in further integration of cultural principles and recommended development of additional resources. Further minor modifications were made during the final clinical review for peak body endorsement. A rigorous development and review process has resulted in a culturally adapted resource health professionals can use to guide care with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients at risk of or experiencing cognitive impairment or dementia. • First best-practice guide to cognitive impairment and dementia care developed specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples • Guide incorporates clinical care recommendations and cultural dimensions • Robust methodology including an eDelphi process and extensive cultural review
Key findings
- Stakeholders wanted a BPG that was: comprehensive, easy to follow and practical; incorporated cultural considerations and took account of the ongoing effects of colonisation.
- A two-part e-Delphi process, completed by 39 and 31 purposively selected participants respectively, reached consensus on: guide aims; cultural principles for inclusion; detection processes; future planning; referral to specialist cognition and palliative care services.
- Cultural review resulted in further integration of cultural principles and recommended development of additional resources.
- Further minor modifications were made during the final clinical review for peak body endorsement.
- A rigorous development and review process has resulted in a culturally adapted resource health professionals can use to guide care with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients at risk of or experiencing cognitive impairment or dementia. • First best-practice guide to cognitive impairment and
Why it matters
This paper describes developing a best-practice guide for cognitive and dementia care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in primary care, reaching consensus through an e-Delphi process. It concerns culturally appropriate care guidance, not treating, curing or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 37/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (SSM - Mental Health) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | SSM - Mental Health: journal h-index 34 (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 | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 5 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 5 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Dina LoGiudice: h-index 35 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | The University of Melbourne: institution h-index 1,342 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 37 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Hughson, J., Belfrage, M. K., Douglas, H., Bessarab, D. C., Curnow, V., Malay, R., et al. (2025). Developing a best-practice guide to support care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living with cognitive impairment and dementia: Prioritising inclusivity, consensus-building and cultural values. SSM - Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100420
Vancouver
Hughson J, Belfrage MK, Douglas H, Bessarab DC, Curnow V, Malay R, et al. Developing a best-practice guide to support care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living with cognitive impairment and dementia: Prioritising inclusivity, consensus-building and cultural values. SSM - Mental Health. 2025. doi:10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100420.
BibTeX
@article{hughson2025-fa5a76e5,
author = {Hughson, Jo‐anne and Belfrage, Mary K and Douglas, Harold and Bessarab, Dawn C and Curnow, Venessa and Malay, Roslyn and McKeown, Dallas and Smith, Robyn A and others},
title = {{Developing a best-practice guide to support care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living with cognitive impairment and dementia: Prioritising inclusivity, consensus-building and cultural values}},
journal = {SSM - Mental Health},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100420},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100420}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.