Project Details
SHARED: Social Health And Reserve in the Dementia Patient Journey
Imke Seifert, M.A.;
Henrik Wiegelmann, M. A.;
Description
Background
SHARED is a mixed method project that aims to unravel the interplay between social health and biological and psychological factors on the trajectory through dementia and to develop a framework for developing health and social care interventions. There will be a specific focus on the bidirectional link before and after the development of dementia, the biological substrate on imaging, and the modifying role of brain and cognitive reserve. The international consortium brings together >40 studies totaling nearly 150,000 individuals. Together they capture the whole life course from people who are cognitively healthy to people with severe dementia. Longitudinal data comprise data on social, cognitive and brain reserve, brain imaging, environmental, clinical, physical and mental factors, cognitive decline and the onset of dementia.
The work package that is jointly conducted by the University of Bremen and Wroclaw Medical University aims at synthesizing the available knowledge through a system dynamics (SD) model that guides and integrates the work and the results the other work packages into a comprehensive framework of social health in conjunction with physical and mental health and its impact on cognitive decline and the course of dementia.
Research progress
Just recently started (May 2019)
Goals
The overall aim is to study the role of social health in cognitive decline and dementia, with a particular focus on the bidirectional link during the entire dementia journey, the biological substrate (including imaging), and the modifying role of brain and cognitive reserve.
Methods
The project uses qualitative methods to identify relevant social factors and the relationships between cognitive reserve and function. Data available from 40 studies will be analyzed through repeated and multi-level measurements. Knowledge generated across these various disciplines and work packages will be integrated by the University of Bremen and Wroclaw Medical University into a system dynamics model on the role of social health during the entire patient journey. It is expected that the model it will inform about modifiable pathways and targets for preventive interventions at both, the population and individual level.
Results
The project has started in May 2019). Results are expected in 2022.
Further information
Projectpartners:
Dorota Szcześniak (Wroclaw Medical University (Polen)); Erasmus Medical Centre Rotterdam, (Niederlande); Joanna Rymaszewska (Wroclaw Medical University (Polen)); Karolinska Institutet, (Schweden); Marta Lenart (Wroclaw Medical University (Polen)); Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre (Niederlande); University College London, (Großbritannien); University of New South Wales, (Australien)