NURS FPX 8024 Assessment 2 Global Issue Problem Description

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Capella University

NURS-FPX8024

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Submission Date

Global Issue Problem Description

Dementia is not a disease per se, but a syndrome that influences the capacity of a person to do the daily chores. This is not a problem in the high-income countries but rather the low- and middle-income countries are seeing the highest rates of growth, and they lack the resources to handle the load (World Health Organization, 2025). It is also a huge economic burden, placing a pressure on families and governments around the world whose costs are estimated to be more than one and a half trillion every year (Mattap et al., 2022).

In addition, the impact of social, political and cultural factors on the outcome of dementia are also important since stigma, lack of awareness and poor policies contribute to the burden. Consequently, dementia should be discussed as a priority health issue in the world to guarantee equitable and culturally sensitive response. Dementia, in the assessment, turns out to be a medical and social dilemma as it impacts individuals, families and healthcare systems.

Description of the Problem

Dementia remains an increasing world health problem. According to the World Health Organization (2025), almost 55 million individuals in the world today are living with dementia, with close to 10 million new patients every year where approximately 8-10 percent of the global population over 65 years of age is affected. The prevalence of dementia is continuously increasing in high- and low-income states of all continents, such as in Asia and Africa (Akinyemi et al., 2021).

Mattap et al. (2022) state that approximately 60 percent of individuals with dementia reside in low- and middle-income nations (LMICs), which have limited resources to support care and treatment. Millions of cases every year put it on the shoulders of the rapidly aging countries like China and India in particular. On the contrary, other nations, such as Sweden and Japan, claim higher prevalence rates because of the increased life expectancy but also have better care and support systems (Akinyemi et al., 2021). In the last 20 years, the incidences of dementia have almost doubled; by 2050, unless interventions are improved, more cases of dementia would have been documented.

The extent of the issue is quite high, because not only individuals are affected by dementia, but also families, caregivers, and health systems as a whole. The aging populations of some societies are piling pressure on health and social care especially in Europe, North America, and East Asia (Mattap et al., 2022). The inequality in diagnosing, treating, and access to long-term care continues to be quite prominent, and not all LMICs have the sufficient services and formal care systems (Giebel et al., 2023). The wealthy nations allocate a lot of resources to research and caring facilities that assist in halting the disease development and also lessens the stress levels of the caregivers.

Conversely, underfunded health systems, lack of awareness, and a high level of stigmatization about dementia are the thorns in the flesh of low- and middle-income countries (Mattap et al., 2022). Therefore, dementia is not only an issue to healthcare systems in the world but also a remarkable manifestation of the inequality in healthcare provision and support at an international level.

Social Determinants that Impact the Problem

However, dementia affects older adults more specifically those who are above 65 years with prevalence soaring with age. The WHO statistics revealed that an estimated 1 in 6 individuals older than 80 years old are vulnerable to dementia on a global scale, women are more vulnerable to dementia because they have a higher life expectancy (World Health Organization, 2025). Among the most important social determinants of dementia, income, education, access to healthcare, and living environment have to be mentioned. The highest burden is suffered by populations living in low-and-middle-income countries since almost a third of the cases of dementia in the future will be experienced in the area (Giebel et al., 2023).

Poor education means a lack of health literacy, which decreases the awareness about risk factors and postpones the diagnosis. An inadequate healthcare system in the countries also restricts access to early interventions and specialist care. Rural residents are particularly disadvantaged by the lack of clinics, reduced numbers of caregivers, and geographical loneliness that impede the proper and immediate diagnosis and treatment.

The cultural beliefs have a strong impact on dementia recognition and management. In certain cultures, the symptoms of dementia are attributed as a result of normal aging or spiritual reasons, which results in stigma and a further delay in seeking care (Klink et al., 2023). Other communities with strong family caregiving practices can guarantee that the elderly receive care at home, although they tend to significantly burden the families financially and emotionally. Geographically, the countries that have very fast-aging populations, including Japan and Italy, have a higher prevalence rate than the younger populations in the Sub-Saharan Africa (Choi et al., 2024).

Dementia risk is also increased in the regions that are more exposed to cardiovascular risk factors including diabetes and hypertension that are more common in urbanized settings. More affluent groups tend to be more well-off, and the preventive care and memory clinics are more likely to enhance their effects (Washington et al., 2023). Conversely, the poor do not have equal access to diagnosis and long-term care, which leaves the entire responsibility of caring up to the family. Therefore, the dementia experience of the population is largely influenced by social and cultural contexts.

Dementia national policy approaches are diverse in terms of the political climate. Countries with implemented national dementia plans (UK, France, and Australia) offer organized prevention and care coordination resources, as well as diagnosis (Alzheimer’s Disease International, 2025a). Alternatively, most countries with low and middle incomes do not have formal dementia policies, and NGOs and families have to supply most of the care (Mattap et al., 2022). Political stability is also a factor because in the territories affected by the conflicts or lack of political stability, the weak health systems are unable to afford the dementia treatment.

Pensions, insurance policies and caregiver support are social protection policies which make the difference between those who are able to afford care and those not. Dementia is not an officially declared priority in the public health of many countries, thus, contributing to the under-investment and disjointed systems of care (Choi et al., 2024). Therefore, the government and political will are critical towards combating dementia as a significant health concern in the world.

Nongovernment Funding Organisation Involvement

Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI)

The ADI mainly targets older adults around the world who are at risk of dementia or living with it, and target especially those populations in the low and middle-income countries where the resources are scarce. The compositions compiled by ADI include one of the biggest interventions, the World Alzheimer Report (2023), where it gathers the evidence, recommendations, and global policy guidelines to governments and healthcare providers. The initiative points to the best practice and promotes early diagnosis and improved access to care.

The intervention has worked in creating global awareness and compelling over 40 countries to come up with national dementia plans (Alzheimer’s Disease international, 2025b). As an example, the global action plan on dementia was adopted by the WHO due to the advocacy of ADI (Alzheimer’s Disease International, 2025b). The program will make sure that the policy makers are able to access data and strategies that are culturally flexible. Comparison of the countries that use ADI-informed policies and those that do not reveals a faster rate of diagnosis and caregiver support systems. Therefore, ADI has been successful in its advocacy and evidence-based recommendations to bridge healthcare disparities on dementia across the globe.

Dementia Alliance International (DAI)

DAI is a non-profit organization with a global access to people with dementia and especially those with an early-onset dementia and under the age of 65. Peer-to-peer online support groups are one of the crucial interventions employed by DAI that offer education, emotional support, and advocacy training to the members of the group in various countries (Poulsen et al., 2022). The intervention enables dementia individuals to act as policy makers in advocacy and self-advocacy, eliminating stigma and isolation. The program has worked out as reports of participation indicate that the members have improved emotional well-being and confidence.

In addition, the peer network of DAI has contributed to the international policy by ensuring the voice of people with dementia gets heard in the decision-making forums (Dementia Alliance International, 2025). Assessments indicate that depression rates and quality of life increase after taking part in such groups. The effectiveness of DAI shows that interventions that are based on empowerment can positively affect the quality of life of dementia patients. Thus, DAI has succeeded to address a gap in the community-based, patient-led support of dementia.

Help Age International

Help Age International is a non-profit organization that targets older adults in the low- and middle-income countries, especially those in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where older adults are subjected to poverty, discrimination, and lack of healthcare services. Among such interventions, one of the biggest interventions is the community health worker training, which teaches local care providers and volunteers to identify the symptoms of dementia, administer basic care, and refer families to the existing services (Karungi et al., 2022). The intervention will deal with the lack of specially trained providers of dementia healthcare services in resource-poor areas.

This has been proven to be quite effective with studies demonstrating that trained community health workers are able to significantly improve the rate of early detection and decrease the burden on the care taker. To illustrate, in Tanzania and Kenya, the dementia awareness and stigma at the village level have been enhanced (HelpAge International, 2025). Community-based strategy provides sustainability, as the knowledge will be integrated into the local population. The assessment shows higher levels of diagnoses and more families that require support services. Thus, the grassroots model by Help Age International can be used to show that the strategy of task-shifting and empowering caregivers is appropriate to close the gaps in dementia care among underserved populations.

Culturally Sensitive Intervention

One culturally sensitive approach towards solving a world wide health problem of dementia is the introduction of community-based memory cafes to fit the local culture. The program will offer a secure environment where people with dementia and their caregivers can unite to engage in social, cognitive, and recreational activities based on their cultural background (Sani et al., 2024). The activities can involve music, stories, and local-based foods that enable one to relate with the usual activities. Each community will be assessed on the needs assessment to determine cultural norms, language preferences, and caregiving practices within the community to make sure that they are relevant. Then, local leaders and healthcare providers will collaborate to develop sessions addressing the integration of traditional healing and community values with evidence-based dementia care (Sani et al., 2024). The cooperation will help to conserve the cultural strengths, and increase awareness and acceptance of dementia.

The learning resources will be translated into local languages and contain images and stories that make sense in the culture. The program will be developed as a joint initiative of the trained community volunteers and NGOs dealing with dementia to be sustainable. Continuous patient and carer feedback will lead to the development of the program activities and make them sensitive to cultural requirements (Karungi et al., 2022). With dementia support based on local traditions, rather than external imposition, the likelihood of eliminating stigma and enhancing the resilience of caregivers is more likely. The memory cafe is also an intergenerational approach as the younger family members gain knowledge about dementia and care giving in a culturally relevant manner.

The program of culturally modified memory cafe is effective as it enables the communities to take care to the members in a manner that is genuine and respectful. Having the community involved at the planning level brings about trust and enhances participation. The program is based on dignity, connection, and cultural heritage instead of medicalizing dementia in areas where resources are scarce (Sani et al., 2024). In addition to that, the program will strengthen social support ties, lower isolation of caregivers, and increase general awareness about dementia (Poulsen et al., 2022). The personalized pathway means that the dementia patients have more chances to stay socially active, whereas the caregivers get the help of the community. Moreover, the program can be increased on a global scale, with accommodative changes to different cultural environments, to make it relevant in different regions.

Conclusion

Dementia is becoming a common disease in the entire world and individuals are living with it. The issue is still widening due to growing populations of people of the age regarded as low- and middle-income earners. In addition, other social determinants like education, income, geography and cultural beliefs have a great impact on access to diagnosis, treatment and care. The three NGOs, ADI, DAI and HelpAge International, have crucial roles in the management of dementia in terms of advocacy and peer empowerment as well as communal care. Both organizations aim at different sub-populations, so that different needs will be addressed using different approaches.