Exploring the Challenges to Dementia Diagnosis in Rural Areas

About the Project

Rural areas face distinct healthcare challenges, including an aging population, vast distances to cover, and inadequate transport and telecommunications infrastructure. These factors underscore the necessity for targeted research and interventions1.

Living in rural communities often makes it challenging to access a clinical diagnosis, as well as subsequent support services. Despite numerous barriers and inequalities in receiving timely dementia care, obtaining an early diagnosis is crucial. Addressing these barriers is essential to ensure individuals receive the necessary support and services2.

Currently, there is a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the specific challenges rural populations face in accessing dementia diagnosis services. Research indicates that diagnosis rates are lower in rural areas compared to urban ones, yet the underlying reasons for this disparity remain unclear3. Therefore, it is imperative to conduct focused research to uncover these challenges and develop effective solutions.

Potential areas of investigation are:

1. Investigating the specific barriers such as limited access to healthcare facilities, lack of awareness, and social stigma.
2. Exploring the role of primary care providers and their connection with community teams responsible for dementia diagnosis.
3. Assessing the impact of infrastructure limitations like transport and digital connectivity on diagnosis rates.
4. Examining the severity and timing of diagnosis to understand health-system delays and avoidable delays.
5. Proposing targeted interventions to improve diagnosis rates, such as mobile clinics, telemedicine, and community outreach programs.

A project in this area will incur some additional costs that will be met by the student, for fieldwork and consultation with experts by experience. The exact costs will depend on the specific project and will be discussed both at interview and kept under review throughout the duration of the project.

Supervisory team

Director of Studies:

Dr Ruby Swift, Association for Dementia Studies, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Worcester

Supervisors:

Dr Peter Unwin, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Worcester

External Advisor:

Dr Michael Clark, Associate Professorial Research Fellow, London School of Economics

Research Centre: Association for Dementia Studies

Application Process

To begin the application process please go to: https://www.worc.ac.uk/research/research-degrees/applying-for-a-phd/.

The Interview

All successful applicants will be offered an interview with the proposed Supervisory Team. You will be contacted by a member of the Doctoral School Team to find a suitable date. Interviews can be conducted in person or over Microsoft Teams.

Funding your PhD

For information about Doctoral Loans please visit: https://www.worc.ac.uk/study/feesand-finance/doctoral-loans.aspx

During your PhD you can access the Research Conference Support Scheme to support the costs of presenting your research at an external conference.