Free Standard AU & NZ Shipping For All Book Orders Over $80!
Register      Login
Australian Journal of Primary Health Australian Journal of Primary Health Society
The issues influencing community health services and primary health care
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Implementing dementia risk reduction in primary care: views of enrollees in the Preventing Dementia Massive Open Online Course

Kali Godbee A E , Maree Farrow B , Aidan Bindoff B , Jane Gunn C , Nicola Lautenschlager D and Victoria Palmer A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of General Practice, Melbourne Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.

B Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, The University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tas., Australia.

C Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.

D Academic Unit for Psychiatry of Old Age, Department of Psychiatry, Melbourne Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.

E Corresponding author. Email: godbeek@student.unimelb.edu.au

Australian Journal of Primary Health 27(6) 479-484 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY21122
Submitted: 4 June 2021  Accepted: 28 September 2021   Published: 25 November 2021

Abstract

There is a push for greater promotion of dementia risk reduction (DRR) by primary care practitioners (PCPs). The aims of this study were to understand the views of non-medically trained Australian contributors in a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) about dementia prevention regarding the role of PCPs in promoting DRR and to consider the implications of those views for developing implementation strategies. Discussion board posts of MOOC enrollees were analysed regarding the actions that organisations, communities and/or governments should take to help people work towards DRR. Of the 1641 eligible contributors to the discussion, 160 (10%) indicated that PCPs had a role in promoting DRR. This subset of participants particularly wanted earlier identification of risk by PCPs and a discussion about DRR. Some participants thought PCPs did not currently prioritise DRR, lacked knowledge about DRR and faced Medicare and resource restrictions to promoting DRR. We suggest that PCPs need: better publicity for their role in promoting DRR; to prioritise DRR; knowledge about DRR; and to take advantage of existing opportunities to promote DRR quickly. The findings of this study should be considered when attempting to implement DRR guidelines in primary care.

Keywords: dementia, health promotion, implementation science, MOOC, primary care, public, qualitative, retrospective, views.


References

Alzheimer’s Australia (2011) Dementia is everybody’s business. (Pfizer Australia: Melbourne) Available at https://www.dementia.org.au/sites/default/files/2011_Nat_MR_PfizerHealthFindings.pdf [Verified 24 November 2021]

Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) (2019) World Alzheimer Report 2019: Attitudes to dementia. Alzheimer’s Disease International: London. Available at https://www.alzint.org/u/WorldAlzheimerReport2019.pdf [Verified 24 May 2021]

Birken SA, Powell BJ, Shea CM, Haines ER, Alexis Kirk M, Leeman J, Rohweder C, Damschroder L, Presseau J (2017) Criteria for selecting implementation science theories and frameworks: results from an international survey. Implementation Science 12, 124
Criteria for selecting implementation science theories and frameworks: results from an international survey.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 29084566PubMed |

Bradley K, Smith R, Hughson J-A, Atkinson D, Bessarab D, Flicker L, Radford K, Smith K, Strivens E, Thompson S, Blackberry I, LoGiudice D (2020) Let’s CHAT (community health approaches to) dementia in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities: protocol for a stepped wedge cluster randomised controlled trial. BMC Health Services Research 20, 208
Let’s CHAT (community health approaches to) dementia in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities: protocol for a stepped wedge cluster randomised controlled trial.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 32164678PubMed |

Cations M, Radisic G, Crotty M, Laver KE (2018) What does the general public understand about prevention and treatment of dementia? A systematic review of population-based surveys. PLoS One 13, e0196085
What does the general public understand about prevention and treatment of dementia? A systematic review of population-based surveys.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 29672559PubMed |

Damschroder LJ, Aron DC, Keith RE, Kirsh SR, Alexander JA, Lowery JC (2009) Fostering implementation of health services research findings into practice: a consolidated framework for advancing implementation science. Implementation Science 4, 50
Fostering implementation of health services research findings into practice: a consolidated framework for advancing implementation science.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 19664226PubMed |

Desborough J, Hall Dykgraaf S, de Toca L, Davis S, Roberts L, Kelaher C, Kidd M (2020) Australia’s national COVID-19 primary care response. The Medical Journal of Australia 213, 104–106.e1.
Australia’s national COVID-19 primary care response.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 32623740PubMed |

Farrow M (2010) Dementia risk reduction: a practical guide for general practitioners. Alzheimer’s Australia: Melbourne, Vic., Australia. Available at https://www.dementia.org.au/sites/default/files/Dementia_Risk_Reduction_Guide_for_GPs.pdf [Verified 24 May 2021]

Farrow M, Doherty K, McInerney F, Klekociuk SZ, Bindoff A, Vickers JC (2018) Improving knowledge and practice through massive open online dementia education: the Understanding Dementia and Preventing Dementia MOOCs. Alzheimer’s & Dementia 14, P233
Improving knowledge and practice through massive open online dementia education: the Understanding Dementia and Preventing Dementia MOOCs.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

G20 Osaka Summit (2019) G20 Osaka leaders’ declaration. Available at https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/40124/final_g20_osaka_leaders_declaration.pdf [Verified 24 May 2021]

Godbee K, Gunn J, Lautenschlager NT, Curran E, Palmer VJ (2019) Implementing dementia risk reduction in primary care: a preliminary conceptual model based on a scoping review of practitioners’ views. Primary Health Care Research and Development 20, e140
Implementing dementia risk reduction in primary care: a preliminary conceptual model based on a scoping review of practitioners’ views.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 31640836PubMed |

Godbee K, Gunn J, Lautenschlager NT, Palmer VJ (2020) Refined conceptual model for implementing dementia risk reduction: incorporating perspectives from Australian general practice. Australian Journal of Primary Health 26, 247–255.
Refined conceptual model for implementing dementia risk reduction: incorporating perspectives from Australian general practice.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 32456772PubMed |

Godbee K, Gunn J, Lautenschlager NT, Francis J, Palmer VJ (2021) How can primary care doctors and nurses promote dementia risk reduction? A scoping review of guidelines. Unpublished manuscript. Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry & Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne.

Hendrie D (2020) Major new campaign encourages patients to see their GP. RACGP newsGP: Melbourne. Available at https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/racgp/major-new-campaign-encourages-patients-to-see-thei [Verified 24 May 2021]

Kaplan AM, Haenlein M (2016) Higher education and the digital revolution: about MOOCs, SPOCs, social media, and the Cookie Monster. Business Horizons 59, 441–450.
Higher education and the digital revolution: about MOOCs, SPOCs, social media, and the Cookie Monster.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Mann C, Stewart F (2000) Power issues in internet research. In ‘Internet Communication and Qualitative Research.’ pp. 160–180. (SAGE: London, UK)10.4135/9781849209281

Millard FB, Kennedy RL, Baune BT (2011) Dementia: opportunities for risk reduction and early detection in general practice. Australian Journal of Primary Health 17, 89–94.
Dementia: opportunities for risk reduction and early detection in general practice.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 21616031PubMed |

National Health and Medical Research Council, The Australian Research Council, Universities Australia (2007; updated 2018) National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research Commonwealth of Australia: Canberra. Available at https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/file/9131/download?token=4Qw7LMvh [Verified 24 May 2021]

Pond D, Phillips J, Day J, McNeil K, Evans L, Trollor J, Anstey KJ, Peters R (2019) People with Dementia: A Care Guide for General Practice. NHMRC Partnership Centre for Dealing with Cognitive and Related Functional Decline in Older People (CDPC): Sydney, NSW, Australia. Available at https://cdpc.sydney.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/CDPC_PrimaryCareGuide_2019.pdf [Verified 24 May 2021]

Proctor E, Silmere H, Raghavan R, Hovmand P, Aarons G, Bunger A, Griffey R, Hensley M (2011) Outcomes for implementation research: conceptual distinctions, measurement challenges, and research agenda. Administration and Policy in Mental Health 38, 65–76.
Outcomes for implementation research: conceptual distinctions, measurement challenges, and research agenda.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 20957426PubMed |

Public Health England (2017) Delivering the dementia component: a good practice example. Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBgfJPu13VQ [Verified 24 May 2021]

Ritchie J, Spencer L (1994) Qualitative data analysis for applied policy research. In ‘Analyzing qualitative data’. (Eds A Bryman, B Burgess) pp. 173–194. (Routledge: London, UK)

Solutions Strategy Research Facilitation Ltd, Cornish and Grey Ltd (2017) NHS Health Check 40–64 Dementia Pilot: Research Findings Summary Research Report. Available at https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Solutions-Dementia-Pilot-Summary-Report-Final-24.7.17-1.pdf [Verified 24 May 2021]

World Health Organization (WHO) (2019) Risk reduction of cognitive decline and dementia: WHO guidelines. WHO: Geneva, Switzerland. Available at https://www.who.int/publications-detail-redirect/risk-reduction-of-cognitive-decline-and-dementia [Verified 24 November 2021]

Zheng L, Godbee K, Steiner GZ, Daylight G, Ee C, Hill TY, Hohenberg MI, Lautenschlager NT, McDonald K, Pond D, Radford K, Anstey KJ, Peters R (2021) Dementia risk reduction in practice: the knowledge, opinions and perspectives of Australian healthcare providers. Australian Journal of Primary Health 27, 136–142.
Dementia risk reduction in practice: the knowledge, opinions and perspectives of Australian healthcare providers.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |