Dementia Diagnosis Often Lags for Years After First Symptoms

A new study led by University College London reveals that people with dementia typically wait 3 1/2 years from initial symptoms to hear an official diagnosis—a delay that stretches to 4.1 years for those facing early-onset forms, reports the Independent. The analysis, published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, scoured data from 13 studies across Europe, the US, Australia, and China, covering more than 30,000 participants, per a release.

• The findings spotlight a global diagnostic lag, with lead researcher Dr. Vasiliki Orgeta noting that timely diagnosis remains elusive due to a tangle of challenges. Only half to two-thirds of cases get diagnosed in wealthier countries, while rates are even lower elsewhere. Researchers found that younger patients and those with frontotemporal dementia experience even longer delays. Limited data also suggest that Black patients may face additional wait times.

• Contributing factors range from symptoms being brushed off as normal aging to fear, stigma, and lack of public awareness, according to Dr. Phuong Leung. Health care hurdles, such as patchy referral systems and understaffed memory clinics, add to the problem, says professor and study co-author Rafael Del-Pino-Casado.
• Early diagnosis, however, is crucial: It opens doors to treatment and can help people maintain mild symptoms longer. The authors argue for a multipronged approach, including boosting public awareness to spot early signs, enhancing clinician training for quicker referrals, and improving access to individualized care.