Qualitative study exploring health professionals’ experiences concerning dementia in Mexico with a policy analysis perspective

Abstract Background Dementia has been declared a priority public health problem, however there still a need for policies to be put in place. Mexico, as a developing nation, has taken some policy actions but there still much to be done. In this paper, we analyze the experiences of service providers to people with dementia. This qualitative study identifies barriers and opportunities to promote policy change. Methods Data was collected through 30 in-depth interviews based on a semi-structured guide with health professionals - Geriatricians, Neurologists, Psychiatrists, Family Practitioners - who care for people with dementia, and researchers in health research institutions. For the analysis, the Policy Space framework was used. Results The care for dementia people is performed by medical specialists whose approach depends on their type of training. Some of the barriers identified are that care is provided in a fragmented manner depending on each institution, and people with dementia are arriving late to the health services. Opportunities found to be promoted in public agendas are early identification of cognitive impairment and leverage prevention of chronic diseases like hypertension and diabetes. Conclusions There is evidence for the need to take action, and various initiatives are available, but the challenge remains to put policies for the care of dementia syndromes on the public health agenda.