Research on psychosocial interventions for dementia demonstrates increased rigour and robustness. However, if we are to influence practice, beyond results from randomised controlled trials, a variety of types and sources of evidence is needed. The Medical Research Council (MRC) framework offers a valuable guide for developing, evaluating and implementing complex interventions, to facilitate integration of research into practice. There is limited knowledge of how researchers design, evaluate and implement psychosocial intervention studies in dementia, using the MRC framework. This scoping review aims to: (1) identify the methodological and methods trends, use and gaps in the development, evaluation and implementation of psychosocial interventions for dementia, and (2) determine if and how the MRC six core elements were considered and applied in studies.
Six databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Library) will be searched for studies published from 2015 (when MRC process guidance was published) to 2025. Identified deduplicated citations will be imported into Covidence software, where up to 40% of title/abstracts will be double screened by independent reviewers. ASReview will be used to rank articles by relevance, with a stopping criterion of 250 consecutive irrelevant articles. Full texts will be reviewed by a single reviewer and those excluded will be checked by a second reviewer. Data extraction will include study aim/objective (ie, to develop/adapt; test feasibility/pilot; evaluate; implement); methodology and methods applied; information on which MRC six core elements were considered (yes/no), and if so, how they were addressed (ie, qualitative details). A narrative synthesis, alongside graphical representations (eg, table/bar charts/histograms), will be used to synthesise findings on methodologies and methods mapped onto the MRC framework.
This secondary analysis scoping review does not require ethics approval. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication(s), seminars, webinars, conferences, postgraduate dementia programmes, blogs, commissioner briefings and social media. The findings will provide a state-of-the-art overview of current practices; advance methods/methodology such as informing a Delphi consensus study on appropriate research approaches; and guide researchers in application of the MRC framework to widen the scope of dementia care evidence for practice improvements.
Submitted to Open Science Framework https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/S56NQ.
This study aims to explore how age and gender are associated with health deterioration related to caregiving among caregivers aged 75 and older in Spain.
Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study.
Nationwide survey in Spain: 2020 Survey on Disability, Personal Autonomy and Situations of Dependency.
All non-professional caregivers identified by the survey (3746): 3166 caregivers younger than 75 (CG75–) and 580 caregivers 75 years old or older (CG75+).
Self-reported caregivers’ health deterioration, as a categorical variable (present or absent).
The majority of caregivers in both groups were women (63.2% of CG75– and 57.0% of CG75+, p=0.011). CG75+ provided care 16 hours/day (vs 14.1 hours/day of CG75–, p=0.032). Over half of CG75+ reported health deterioration (53.0%), compared with 43.5% of CG75– (p
In Spain, older caregivers have a specific socio-demographic profile, provide high-intensity care and report a higher caregiving-related health deterioration. However, the association between older age and health deterioration was found only in women. Public health interventions must prioritise older female caregivers.
Intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) is associated with high early mortality and morbidity. Early clinical deterioration is common and influenced by haematoma expansion, which can occur within the first hours after symptom onset. Transcranial duplex sonography (TCD) is a rapid, non-invasive tool that may aid in early ICH detection but is highly operator-dependent. Artificial intelligence (AI)-based analysis of ultrasound images has shown promise in other fields but has not yet been validated in acute ICH.
This is a single-centre, prospective feasibility study involving 500 patients with acute ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke (
Ethical approval has been obtained. Informed consent will be collected. Data will be coded and stored securely. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and conferences.
Not applicable at this stage (observational AI study).