Perceptions of Dementia Care Among African Immigrants in Minnesota: Insights From Community Conversations
Year: 2022
Type: conference-abstract
Abstract: Immigrants and persons from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds have a higher prevalence of dementia compared with their U.S.-born counterparts, yet the estimates of dementia prevalence, perceptions, and needs among African immigrants are not fully understood. This qualitative study examined African immigrants’ perceptions of dementia and dementia care. Specifically, it explored the community’s attitudes, care practices, and barriers toward dementia care. Community conversations (focus groups) were conducted with 24 African immigrants residing in the Northwest Minneapolis suburbs. Conversation transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis in Nvivo. The majority of participants were women, 79% from Liberia, 43% were over the age of 65 years, and 65% held a bachelor’s degree or higher. Three themes were identified: 1) Perceptions of and attitudes toward mental health and dementia, which indicated that cultural issues limit awareness of dementia, but 2) Family care of a person living with dementia, meaning care happens in the home, and receiving care in a facility is the last resort; 3) Facilitators and barriers to dementia care, including distrust of health systems, immigrant status, and limited finances. This project offers unique insights on the dementia care and caregiving beliefs and attitudes among African immigrants that can inform policy and intervention efforts aimed at decreasing dementia care barriers in the African immigrant community.
Source: Innovation in Aging
Institution: University of Minnesota
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,615
OpenAlex ID: W4312036937