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Global Health Econ Sustain Elderly people with dementia

Table 5. Backgrounds of patients with dementia (PWD)
Backgrounds of PWD Hong Kong Japan Singapore (SG, ANOVA Post hoc comparison between
(HK, N=164) (JP, N=166) N=233) regions a
n Mean SD n Mean SD n Mean SD F Df p HK HK versus JP versus
versus JP SG SG
Age 153 84.5 7.33 157 82.1 7.54 233 81.5 6.96 8.311 2 0.000*** 0.009** b 0.000*** b 0.730 b
Number of years being 139 4.8 3.22 141 3.4 3.64 233 1.6 2.33 51.453 2 0.000*** 0.001** 0.000*** 0.000***
diagnosed with dementia
Number of medication 150 5.6 3.72 132 3.5 3.06 230 6.4 2.79 35.732 2 0.000*** 0.000*** 0.045* 0.000***
(s) taken
Notes: *p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p<0.001. Games-Howell test, which the assumption of homogeneity of variance was violated. Tukey HSD test.
a
b
Abbreviations: df: Degree of freedom; SD: Standard deviation.
accounted for 60%–70% of the respondents in the early could also be influenced by national systems and policies
stages of dementia, with 90% of them being married or regarding dementia care. Women accounted for 70 – 80%
widowed. Few individuals lived alone, mostly living with of the respondents.
their spouses or children. In terms of disease, diabetes This study’s findings are consistent with those of a study
affected 30%–40% of the respondents in all three regions, on the attributes of family caregivers of elderly patients
while other diseases affected <10%. The average age of with dementia just before the COVID-19 pandemic,
dementia patients was 84.5, 82.1, and 81.5 years in Hong which reported a higher proportion of women in nine
Kong, Japan, and Singapore, respectively, with the number Asian countries, including Hong Kong, Singapore, and
of years since diagnosis averaging 4.8, 3.4, and 1.6 years, Japan (Yang et al., 2016). This insight can aid in identifying
respectively. Significant differences were observed between Asian countries with similar dementia care and caregiving
Hong Kong and Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore, and situations, which have not been revealed in previous
Japan and Singapore. The average number of medications surveys, and may the examination of dementia care and
administered was 5.6, 3.5, and 6.4, respectively. measures for family caregivers across countries from a
The data obtained using the scale for older adults broader perspective. In addition, a review on the influence
with dementia are presented in Table 6. There were no of activities of daily living of older adults with dementia
significant differences between Japan and Singapore on family caregiver care in the United States (Waligora
in terms of functional assessments, and similarly, no et al., 2019) indicated an association between the level of
significant differences in instrumental activities of daily activities of daily living of older adults with dementia and
living between Hong Kong and Singapore. Regarding the effectiveness of care interventions, possibly influenced
problem behaviors, there were no significant differences by race and ethnicity. From this perspective, the present
between Hong Kong and Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore, study, particularly the selection of three Asian regions –
or Japan and Singapore in memory-related problem Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan – and the examination
behaviors. However, significant differences were observed of the current state of care in terms of residential area and
in disruptive and emotionally distressing behaviors ethnicity, is likely to contribute to global dementia care
between any of the two regions. For symptoms of dementia measures in the future.
(MMSE), significant differences were found between Hong In Hong Kong and Singapore, single caregivers
Kong and Japan and between Japan and Singapore. accounted for more than 30% of the caregiver population,

4. Discussion whereas in Japan, this figure was <10%. Full-time
employment was reported by approximately 30% of
In Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan, family caregivers respondents in Hong Kong and Japan but by more than half
of elderly patients with dementia at home were mainly in in Singapore. Between 60% and 70% of the respondents
their late 50s to early 60s, with 80 – 90% of them playing the lived together, and 80% of the family caregivers had at least
role of primary caregivers. In addition, in all three regions, a high school education. Across all three regions, more
60 – 80% of caregivers were not spouses but children. than half of the family caregivers indicated that caregiving
In Hong Kong and Singapore, 60% of the respondents involved financial matters, daily chores, shopping, and
were married, whereas in Japan, 80% were married. This accompanying family members to the hospital. Notably,
observation may stem from similarities in family structure in Hong Kong and Japan, 70% to 80% of family caregivers
and age at dementia onset across the three regions and reported using hospitals and facilities specifically designed

Volume 2 Issue 1 (2024) 12 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.1954