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Maintaining Social Connections in Dementia: A Qualitative Synthesis
Birt L, Griffiths R, Charlesworth G, Higgs P, Orrell M, Leung P, Poland F.. Qualitative health research, 2019-09-25
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
The clinical symptoms of dementia include difficulty with speech, poor short-term memory, and changes in behavior. These symptoms can affect how the person with dementia understands and performs in social interactions. This qualitative review investigated how people with mild to moderate dementia managed social connections. A systematic search of social science databases retrieved 13 articles; data were synthesized using thematic analysis. Results established the work undertaken by people with dementia to maintain and present a social persona seen as socially acceptable. Interpretations are contextualized within Goffman and Sabat's theories on "self." People with dementia were agentic in impression management: undertaking work to maintain recognized social roles, while being aware of when their illness led to others discrediting them. Wider recognition of strategies used to maintain a social self could inform interventions designed to increase capability and confidence in co-managing social connections following dementia diagnosis.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Birt, L., Griffiths, R., Charlesworth, G., Higgs, P., Orrell, M., Leung, P., et al. (2020). Maintaining Social Connections in Dementia: A Qualitative Synthesis. Qualitative health research. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732319874782
Vancouver
Birt L, Griffiths R, Charlesworth G, Higgs P, Orrell M, Leung P, et al. Maintaining Social Connections in Dementia: A Qualitative Synthesis. Qualitative health research. 2020. doi:10.1177/1049732319874782. PMID: 31550999.
BibTeX
@article{birt2020-31550999,
author = {Birt, L. and Griffiths, R. and Charlesworth, G. and Higgs, P. and Orrell, M. and Leung, P. and Poland, F.},
title = {{Maintaining Social Connections in Dementia: A Qualitative Synthesis}},
journal = {Qualitative health research},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.1177/1049732319874782},
pmid = {31550999},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732319874782}
}
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 names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Results established the work undertaken by people with dementia to maintain and present a social persona seen as socially acceptable.
Why it matters
This qualitative review examined how people with mild to moderate dementia maintain social connections and manage their social persona. It addresses social support and self-management, not treating, curing, or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 43/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Qualitative health research) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Qualitative Health Research: journal h-index 188 (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 | 2 / 5 | 2020 — within 10 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) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 75 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 9.4 citations a year over 8 year(s) since 2020 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 34 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Fiona Mary Poland: h-index 42 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University College London: institution h-index 2,029 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 31550999) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 43 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1177/1049732319874782
- PubMed: 31550999
- Original source →
- Free full text: UEA Digital Repository (University of East Anglia) →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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