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Family carers' knowledge and practices in dementia care for hospitalized older adults: a multi-center cross-sectional study in Thailand
Kanthee Anantapong, Nahathai Wongpakaran, Suwanna Setthawatcharawanich, Sirinapa Aphisitphinyo, Nopdanai Sirimaharaj, Chatchawan Rattanabannakit, Pongsatorn Paholpak, Aimorn Jiraphan et al.. Frontiers in Medicine, 2025-12-03
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Carers' knowledge about dementia was moderate overall, with higher scores among those with greater education and previous dementia exposure. Nevertheless, persistent gaps were noted, especially regarding the reversibility of dementia and behavioral management. While over 80% of carers reported adequate involvement in daily care and decision-making, the implementation of hospital dementia-friendly practices was inconsistent. Nearly half of respondents reported a lack of systematic dementia identification, limited individualized care planning, and insufficient discharge communication. Site-level differences and cultural influences, including filial obligation and low expectation of formal support, contributed to pronounced variability in carers' experiences. No significant linear association between DKAS-Thai and ISDP scores was observed, suggesting that knowledge alone may not translate into improved care experiences in complex, variable hospital settings. Carers highlighted insufficient communication, limited family participation in discharge planning, and gaps in advance care planning and palliative access, despite specialist hospital resources. Significant variability in dementia care implementation and knowledge persists across Thailand's university hospitals, highlighting the interplay of institutional practices and cultural factors. System-level interventions-such as standardized dementia screening, routine family involvement in multidisciplinary planning, and culturally responsive education for carers and staff-are recommended to bridge these gaps. These findings underscore the need for action not only in university hospitals but also in developing broader national dementia care strategies adapted to Thailand's social context.
Key findings
- Carers' knowledge about dementia was moderate overall, with higher scores among those with greater education and previous dementia exposure.
- Nevertheless, persistent gaps were noted, especially regarding the reversibility of dementia and behavioral management.
- While over 80% of carers reported adequate involvement in daily care and decision-making, the implementation of hospital dementia-friendly practices was inconsistent.
- Nearly half of respondents reported a lack of systematic dementia identification, limited individualized care planning, and insufficient discharge communication.
- Site-level differences and cultural influences, including filial obligation and low expectation of formal support, contributed to pronounced variability in carers' experiences.
Why it matters
This multi-center study in Thailand found family carers' dementia knowledge was moderate, with gaps about reversibility and behavioral management, and inconsistent hospital dementia-friendly practices. It concerns carer knowledge and hospital care, not a treatment or cure for Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 41/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for 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 (Frontiers in Medicine) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Frontiers in Medicine: journal h-index 149 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| 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 | 1 / 7 | Cited 3 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.9× 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 3 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Huali Wang: h-index 44 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Peking University: institution h-index 1,098 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 6 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41416072) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 41 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1710146
- PubMed: 41416072
- Original source →
- Free full text: Frontiers in Medicine →
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
Anantapong, K., Wongpakaran, N., Setthawatcharawanich, S., Aphisitphinyo, S., Sirimaharaj, N., Rattanabannakit, C., et al. (2025). Family carers' knowledge and practices in dementia care for hospitalized older adults: a multi-center cross-sectional study in Thailand. Frontiers in Medicine. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2025.1710146
Vancouver
Anantapong K, Wongpakaran N, Setthawatcharawanich S, Aphisitphinyo S, Sirimaharaj N, Rattanabannakit C, et al. Family carers' knowledge and practices in dementia care for hospitalized older adults: a multi-center cross-sectional study in Thailand. Frontiers in Medicine. 2025. doi:10.3389/fmed.2025.1710146. PMID: 41416072.
BibTeX
@article{anantapong2025-41416072,
author = {Anantapong, Kanthee and Wongpakaran, Nahathai and Setthawatcharawanich, Suwanna and Aphisitphinyo, Sirinapa and Sirimaharaj, Nopdanai and Rattanabannakit, Chatchawan and Paholpak, Pongsatorn and Jiraphan, Aimorn and others},
title = {{Family carers' knowledge and practices in dementia care for hospitalized older adults: a multi-center cross-sectional study in Thailand}},
journal = {Frontiers in Medicine},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.3389/fmed.2025.1710146},
pmid = {41416072},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2025.1710146}
}
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