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Can a clinical database be used to improve dementia care in Ethiopia?
Biniyam Ayele, M.D.
Addis Ababa University
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Background
Studies report that nearly two-thirds of individuals living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia live in low- and middle-income countries. Ethiopia is a low-income country with a rapidly aging population and a growing number of individuals living with dementia. However, deficiencies in healthcare infrastructure, resources, and other barriers in this region can lead to missed diagnoses of dementia.
One of the ways healthcare systems can improve dementia care is through clinical registries, which can provide long-term monitoring and follow-up for patients. Dr. Biniyam Ayele and colleagues aim to establish a clinical quality registry for dementia (CQRD) to collect information on individuals living with dementia to improve the quality of dementia care in Ethiopia.
Research Plan
Dr. Ayele and the team will first assess the quality of dementia care at the Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital in Ethiopia using survey questionnaires. They will examine the current tools used to perform the clinical evaluation of dementia, as well as the number of healthcare workers with knowledge of dementia care. Next, the researchers will design and develop a new clinical registry that can be combined with the hospital’s current medical record system. This registry will capture dementia-related clinical data and demographics of adults visiting the hospital who have concerns about cognitive function. Lastly, the team will test the new tool in up to 100 individuals before implementing the clinical registry in additional hospitals in Ethiopia.
Impact
If successful, results from this study could create a new resource that may improve healthcare worker knowledge and provide support for individuals living with dementia in Ethiopia.
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