Page 14 - Ageing and Dementia: A compendium of New Zealand research literature

vii
Dr. Kay de Vries,
Graduate School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health,
Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington.
New Zealand is in a very early stage of research on dementia syndromes and related conditions
and prior to 2000 very little empirical research was conducted in New Zealand in the field of
dementia. Only 30 research papers published in the field of dementia were located in this search
(excluding theses) and these were extremely varied in focus with no one area targeted. Since
2000, again excluding theses, there has been a steady increase in research publications within
the field. The focus of the published research on dementia by New Zealanders has been
predominantly in the area of neurophysiology or neuropsychology. Funding priorities to support
biomedical research in general may explain the predominance of research in the neurosciences.
The second area where there has been some significant research (in terms of number of
publications) is on medication use for people with dementia, with a focus on antipsychotic
medications. Research publications related to diagnosis and assessment, service evaluations,
and caring for people with dementia in residential home environments have been produced in
equal amounts and are varied in focus. Assessment and diagnosis of dementia or cognitive
impairment is a major focus in international literature yet only three publications in this area of
research were located.
Some of the most significant areas, where there is a substantial international literature, are
poorly represented in New Zealander research publications. Specifically these are: social, ethical
and cultural issues for people with dementia; end of life care and Advance Care Planning; abuse
and neglect, of which only one published study was located; younger people with dementia; and
the actual experiences of people with dementia.
It is clear that there are a small number of discrete groups of New Zealand researchers who
publish in specific areas of dementia, who have been well funded for the research, and who
have developed international research collaborations. It is extremely important that New
Zealanders take opportunities to undertake research through collaborations with clinical and
academic environments and with international researchers in the field of dementia.
Unfortunately, research funding in New Zealand is not internationally competitive. Funding for
research in New Zealand, in general, is less than one-third of that in Australia, less than one-fifth
of that in the United Kingdom, and about 10% of that in the United States (Reid et al.,
2014). This lack of funding has a significant impact on research outputs and retention of
academic research activities in New Zealand.
Furthermore, funding for biomedical research, within the field of dementia, far exceeds that for
research within the behavioral and social sciences. Research in the social sciences can offer