Dementia screening protocol for primary care in South America: a Delphi consensus study.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Neurology

Background:

• South America faces rapid population aging, increasing the need for dementia detection.
• Primary care settings are crucial for early dementia identification.
• A standardized, regionally appropriate approach to dementia screening in South American primary care is currently lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop expert-based recommendations for dementia screening in South American primary care.
• To establish a framework for early dementia detection within the region.

Main Methods:

• A modified Delphi process involving 20 South American experts across various specialties.
• Two rounds of surveys and consensus-building on screening tools, referral criteria, and professional roles.
• Exploration of cognitive and functional assessment methods suitable for primary care.

Main Results:

• Consensus achieved on initial screening questions, brief screening battery duration, and primary care team roles.
• Emphasis placed on educational, cultural, and sensory adaptations for screening.
• Disagreement noted on specific functional assessment tools and cut-off points, indicating areas for further research.

Conclusions:

• The recommendations offer a structured, flexible, and culturally sensitive framework for primary care dementia screening in South America.
• These guidelines aim to support timely detection and referral, integrating into person-centered healthy aging strategies.
• Further research and standardization are needed for specific assessment tools and criteria.