Dementia in African Context

Dementia in African Context

Introduction

Overall, dementia is a condition associated with difficulties in solving problems, language use, and memory loss. Dementia does not usually refer to a single ailment. Instead, it is a generalized term covering a broad range of medical issues, encompassing Alzheimer’s disease (Kehuoa et al. 165). Abnormal alterations introduce conditions falling under dementia in the brain (Kehuoa et al. 165). The adjustments prompt a fall in thinking capabilities referred to as cognitive competence, severe enough to affect independent functions and daily life. The ailments related to dementia could also interfere with relationships, feelings, and behaviors. Alzheimer’s disease accounts for most dementia cases (65-81%). However, it is not uncommon to witness other instances such as Lewy body dementia, vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and other forms such as Huntington’s and Parkinson’s (Guerchet et al. 16). The study describes the processes followed in conducting a literature review on dementia and pays particular attention to how the condition affects people in Sub Saharan Africa. The finds help to understand 

Aim and Purpose

The primary purpose of the research is to identify and explain how dementia affects people in Sub Saharan Africa. The review seeks to understand the possible negative implications of dementia on affected persons and the society in the African context and hopes to improve awareness and intervention through the understanding. The research aims to find suitable answers about the matter under investigation using reliable and proper sources based on empirical research. Besides, the study aims at identifying the processes followed in researching by addressing the distinct categories one must follow to arrive at the most relevant findings. The study hopes that the results will guide what ought to happen to realize the most pertinent findings. 

Design or Framework

Before conducting the research, the researcher spends a significant amount of time trying to understand what ought to come first and understand subsequent steps to avoid possible confusion or other shortcomings. Thus, the initial phase entails identifying the reasons for researching formulating the research questions. For example, the researcher may identify the need to understand how dementia affects the African context as the reason for conducting the study before settling on the magnitude of the disease and possible remedies and the research questions. The final phase would be to review the findings from various literature and find out how the results may improve emerging issues. Following the proper procedures in completing the research increases the chances of conducting successful research. 

Search Methods

The research retrieves reliable literature from various reputable sources, which make them appropriate for the study. Specifically, the research retrieves data from databases such as PsycINFO, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and PubMed. One primary reason for selecting the databases is that they well-known sources for reputable sources created by renowned scholars and researchers. The databases have increasingly expanded their capacity since their formation and continue to impact research practices significantly. The other reason for selecting the databases is that they contain numerous articles that are related to health. A suitable way for identifying the relevant databases for the study is to use Google to find the most effective and convenient platform for acquiring health-related sources. The selected databases increase the chances of finding information that suits the entire study. 

Search Strategy 

The search strategy entails scrutinizing each of the identified articles one by one. The approach makes it possible to avoid any confusion that could affect the outcome. Furthermore, examining an entire article before shifting to another presents a reasonable chance to explore all the key factors that may provide valuable information about the research topic. Other than analyzing the content of each article before shifting to another one as a way of grasping the content well, the researcher employs different search strategies to make the process more successful. For example, the process relies on choosing the correct search terms that would identify suitable sources. Researchers also use the keywords and search for specific phrases to ease identification of the good articles. The researcher also searched the databases using subject headings to simplify the process of getting the correct papers. 

Search Terms

Using key terms and phrases to identify the suitable sources makes it easy and possible to settle on literature that give the correct information about dementia in the African context. The researcher keyed in practical terms such as dementia, mixed dementia, vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and Alzheimer’s Disease that Kehuoa et al. (170) classify as possibly the most typical form of dementia. The other terms that featured predominantly in the search are; anosognosia, blue flower pin, Sub Sahara, Sub Saharan Africa, dementia in Sub Sahara, dementia in Africa, blue flower pin, memory loss, neurocognitive disorder, vascular neurocognitive disorder, Parkinson’s Disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, DLB, Huntington’s Disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, frontotemporal dementia in Africa, medication for dementia in Sub Sahara, agnosia, apraxia, aphasia, and amnesia, and degenerative neurological illness. The search also included terms and phrases such as atypical depression, apraxia, and antipsychotics. The keywords quicken the process of identifying and retrieving sources that would benefit the entire search process. 

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria

Considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria increases the chance for settling on literature that suits the study. The inclusion criteria the process took into consideration is the inclusion of the key search words identified in the previous section. The other inclusion criteria can address the condition of dementia in Sub Sahara Africa. Besides, the sources that quality to be part of the study are written by renowned authors and published on reputable platforms. More fundamentally, the search process targets sources that are published from 2005 and beyond. Nevertheless, articles or sources published before the mentioned date do not qualify to be part of the research. Furthermore, those not published in the English language or do not address anything to do with dementia are not part of the research. 

Search Results

The search results provide valuable information about dementia in the context of Sub Sahara Africa. First, the search process shows that many sources exist that may help to understand the situation of dementia in Sub Sahara Africa. Guerchet et al. (7), for example, reveal that as many as 2.12 million people lived with the condition in the region as of 2015. Guerchet et al. (7) project that the number is set to increase to about 3.50 million affected people by 2030. The increase is higher in Central and Eastern Sub Sahara Africa, partly due to the rise in an ageing population (Mavroidaris, Powell, and Thorogood 778). The results show that the cost for handling the disease is an issue that requires significant attention to avert possible escalation that may strain the attempts to contain the health problem. Guerchet et al. (7) mention that Sub Saharan African countries used as much as $6.3 billion in 2015 alone to treat affected people and create awareness. More fundamentally, the research reveals that several nations in the region require significant aid and guidance on combatting more cases. 

Next Steps  

A suitable way to improve the search process is to develop and follow a plan before conducting the activity. Besides developing the procedure, it is imperative to engage others to increase the chances of gaining valuable information. Working with others increase the chances for gaining new ideas, and makes it possible to avert possible blunders that could occur when one chooses to work as an individual. However, the level of success depends on the effort one puts into the initiative, and also depends on how one is equipped with skills to handle the process.

Conclusion

The study pays attention to dementia in Sub Sahara Africa, where the case is a significant issue in other parts of the world. The purpose of conducting the research is to understand the nature of dementia in the African context. The study also aims at clarifying the level of service dedicated to dementia in the region. The researcher follows a particular order in research to arrive at the most appropriate outcome and avoid possible errors that could disrupt the entire process. The study acquires data from various platforms, including PsycINFO, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and PubMed. It centres on these platforms because they are medical and are highly glorified avenues for getting data. The search strategy entails using keywords, particular phrases, subject headings, focusing on one article before proceeding to another, and paying considerable attention to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. 

References

Guerchet, Maelenn et al. Dementia in Sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges and Opportunities.

            Alzheimer’s Disease International, 2017.

Kehuoa, Gilles et al. “People with Dementia in Sub-Saharan Africa: From Support to Abuse by

            Caregivers: Results of EPIDEMCA-FU Program in Congo.” Dementia Geriatric

            Cognitive Disorders Extra, vol. 9, 2019, pp. 163-175.

Mavroidaris, Angelique, Powell John, and Thorogood Margaret. “Prevalences of dementia and

            cognitive impairment among older people in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review.”

            Bulletin of the World Health Organization, vol. 91, no. 10, 2013, pp. 773-783.