ACHA Publication: improving dementia diagnosis in older adults

Many people living with dementia never receive a formal diagnosis and this can mean that have difficulty accessing the care and services they need to optimise their wellbeing and quality of life. However, older adults admitted to hospital often undergo tests that might help identify unrecognised cases. One such test, the 4AT, is routinely used to check for delirium and memory problems when older people are admitted as emergencies.

This study looked at data from over 75,000 hospital admissions of patients aged 65 and over, testing these ideas on large datasets in Scotland. We found that people who already had a dementia diagnosis were much more likely to have an abnormal 4AT score than those without dementia. The test identified 87% of people with dementia, suggesting it could be useful in spotting those who might need further investigation. The findings show that using information already collected in hospital—like the 4AT score—could help identify people with undiagnosed dementia. This could lead to earlier diagnosis, better care planning, and more timely support for patients and their families.

Working with our  ACHA data-analysts we plan to test these finding on our local health data so we can help support dementia diagnostic pathways in North East London. You can read the article in full here