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TRANSCRIPT
Poster Presentations: P2P488
carers, and this does not appear to affect their perceived burden, level of sat-
isfaction or attitudes to ageing. Carer satisfaction, burden and attitudes may
not be influenced by rate of decline or level of dependence, but other factors
may play a more important role. Further research is required to clarify these
relationships as it is likely that it is complex and multifaceted.
P2-349 WITHDRAWN
P2-350 CHALLENGES IN HEALTH CARE FOR PEOPLE
WITH DEMENTIA IN GHANA
Susanne Spittel1, Karin Wolf-Ostermann2, 1Alice Salomon University of
Applied Science, Berlin, Germany; 2Alice Salomon University Berlin,
Berlin, Germany. Contact e-mail: [email protected]
Background: The population of Ghana is gradually aging and the pro-
portion of older people has doubled every ten years. By 2050 the aged
population in Ghana will triple. In terms that age is the biggest risk fac-
tor for dementia, the prevalence of this disease is also rising. Until now,
scientific research about this topic does not exist. The aim of this explor-
ative study was to identify the health care challenges and needs of older
people with and without dementia in Ghana to prepare first scientific data
and hypotheses for future studies. Methods: The study applied a quantita-
tive and qualitative research design with explorative, descriptive and con-
textual research approach. Guided interviews were conducted with five
Ghanaian experts and one expert from Germany and 171 questionnaires
were handed out to Ghanaian nursing students. The transcribed interviews
were examined using manifest and latent content analyses. Data analysis
of the questionnaires was performed using descriptive methods. Results:
The results revealed that people in Ghana grow increasingly older and de-
velop dementia. Furthermore, 46% of the survey respondents already met
people whowere in need for permanent care and support, most of them (71
%) with dementia. But so far there aren’t any aged care facilities and
skilled experts in geriatrics are in short supply as well as nobody diagnoses
or screens for dementia. Besides that, the public does not even know much
about the disease. People in Ghana still accuse and condemn demented
people to witchcraft which consequently have to live in witch-camps or
are beaten and killed. Conclusions: In Ghana the rapid ageing population
and the increase of age-related diseases like dementia is already a burden
for the country. Missing specialists and aged care facilities are a big deficit
for a functioning and sufficient health care system. Moreover, lacking
knowledge about the ageing process and dementia requires better educa-
tion and a raising awareness that dementia is a frequent illness in older
age. Ghana has to put these issues on national agendas and further research
is mandatory.