Using big data to understand the health status, service use, and service pathways of people with less common types of dementia | Department of Developmental Disability Neuropsychiatry (3DN)

People living with dementia experience high rates of mental and physical health problems. It is important that the health system is prepared to meet their needs. Most research has focused on the health of people living with Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia. Less is known about the health status and health service use of people living with less common types of dementia, including frontotemporal dementia and dementia due to other disorders or diseases. This study used linked data from a large sample of people living with less common types of dementia in NSW to describe patterns of mental and physical health problems and how they use health services. We compared these findings to those of people living with more common types of dementia. This will inform the development of specific strategies that will allow health services to better meet the needs of people living with less common types of dementia.