People with dementia are diagnosed an average of 3.5 years after symptoms are first noticed, according to a new study.Early signs of dementia may include memory loss, difficulty finding words, confusion, and changes in mood and behaviour.
The study, published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, showed that younger age at onset and having frontotemporal dementia were both linked to a longer time to diagnosis.
For those with early-onset dementia, the diagnosis can take 4.1 years, with some groups more likely to experience longer delays.
“Timely diagnosis of dementia remains a major global challenge, shaped by a complex set of factors, and specific health care strategies are urgently needed to improve it. Timely diagnosis can improve access to treatments and, for some people, prolong the time living with mild dementia before symptoms worsen,” said lead author Dr. Vasiliki Orgeta, from the Division of Psychiatry at the University College London (UCL).
For the study, UCL researchers reviewed data from 13 previously published studies that took place in Europe, the US, Australia, and China, reporting data on 30,257 participants.