Ms Emily Lewis
Alzheimer's Society
United Kingdom
Exploring the experience of diagnostic imaging for people with dementia
Alzheimer's Society
212,998
01/10/14
3.0
Alzheimer's disease & other dementias
Aims
The care of people with dementia during X-ray and CT scans (diagnostic imaging) has been highlighted as a research priority by the Alzheimers Society. This study addresses this priority and will explore the experience of diagnostic imaging for people with dementia and their carers, seek to understand how radiographers adapt their practice to support this patient group, and develop recommendations for practice to improve the care of people with dementia within this setting.
Methods
This is a two phase ethnographic study. Phase 1 will consist of participant observation of radiography practice and 15 focussed observations following the journey of people with dementia through the imaging experience. Informal interviews with radiographers and semi-structured interviews with people with dementia and their carers will be undertaken to gain a deep understanding of their experiences.
Phase 2 will adopt a focus group method to generate and evaluate recommendations for practice building on the findings from phase 1. Focus groups with radiographers and with people with dementia and carers will evaluate these practice recommendations in terms of appropriateness and acceptability.
Data will be analysed using the framework method permitting patterns and relationships to be identified and explanatory models to be developed.
Expected Outcomes
This is the first study to explore the experience of diagnostic imaging for people with dementia and their carers and to involve them in the evaluation of practice recommendations. Findings from this study will inform radiographic practice, nationally and internationally, and will underpin service improvements for this important patient group.