Comparing international dementia research priorities-Systematic review

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience and Public Health
• Healthcare Systems Research
• Research Priority Setting Methodologies

Background:

• Research priority setting is crucial for guiding funding and policy in dementia research.
• International healthcare systems engage stakeholders to identify pressing research questions.
• Understanding global dementia research priorities informs future scientific endeavors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare published dementia research priority setting exercises across international healthcare systems.
• To identify common themes and variations in dementia research priorities globally.
• To assess the methodological and reporting quality of dementia priority setting exercises.

Main Methods:

• Systematic search of four international electronic databases (2010-2021).
• Thematic analysis of extracted priorities from 10 selected studies (1179 participants, 147 priorities).
• Evaluation using the Nine Common Themes of Good Practice (9CTGP) and REPRISE checklists.

Main Results:

• Caregivers (25%) and support (24%) were the most frequent priority themes.
• Inclusiveness, implementation, and evaluation were common issues across studies.
• Geographical variations observed: awareness/education prioritized in low-middle income countries; caregivers/support in high income countries.

Conclusions:

• Key dementia research priorities show some commonality but differ based on regional context.
• Significant scope exists for improving the process and reporting of research priority setting.
• Dementia research priorities identified in one healthcare setting may not be universally applicable.