How to manage comorbidities in people with dementia: A scoping review

People with dementia experience a high prevalence of comorbidities that seriously affect patient outcomes. The aim of this study was to map the evidence and components related to comorbidity management, including interventions to facilitate and support the practice of management.

A scoping review was conducted. In June 2022, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE), Open grey, and the Cochrane Library were searched to identify relevant literature. The inclusion criteria were outlined to identify studies on comorbidity management in people with dementia.

We found 43 items that met the inclusion criteria. The majority of the studies were published since 2010. Most research focused on medication management, health care service use and provision, and comorbidity-related monitoring and management; there were a small number of studies that involved decision-making. Only 6 studies developed interventions to support dementia care, which included comorbidity management. Studies involving the comorbidity management process were mainly based on qualitative methods, which make it difficult to quantify the impact of these processes on comorbidity management.

Given the serious impact of dementia on managing comorbidities, there is a need to develop systematic interventions targeting the management of comorbidities.