Research project studies the impact of socio-spatial inequalities on the lives of people with dementia and their caregivers
The project aims to better understand the relationship between socio-spatial inequalities and the lives of people with dementia and their informal caregivers
English version: Diana Taborda
The University of Coimbra (UC) coordinates the project "SINDIA: Socio-Spatial Inequalities in Dementia" which aims to better understand the relationship between socio-spatial inequalities and the lives of people with dementia and their informal caregivers. Running until 2026, this research will identify and analyse across the country, how the area of residence affects the quality of life and the disease trajectory, by working with people diagnosed with this health condition, their caregivers and the organisations that support them.
According to Miguel Padeiro, project coordinator, professor at the UC Faculty of Arts and Humanities and researcher at the Centre of Studies in Geography and Spatial Planning (CEGOT), “dementia affects people in different ways, depending on many factors. Individual, family, socio-professional and socio-spatial characteristics, for example, can influence quality of life and the progression of the disease. In this context, the inequalities that affect people with dementia are not only social, they are also spatial: the characteristics of the place where they live (with more or less green spaces, traffic, pollution, or the care of public space) and the access to resources and opportunities that the place provides also influence the dementia trajectory, the quality of life of people living with the disease and their informal caregivers”.
Although there is scientific evidence that proves the impact of the conditions of the place of residence on quality of life, the coordinator highlights that “the combination of the various mechanisms that influence this impact have not yet been sufficiently identified. With this research, the team intends to deepen the knowledge about these factors and their impact as a way of helping to promote measures, policies and strategies aimed at reducing health inequalities between populations and regions”.
As a multidisciplinary project, SINDIA will involve professionals from the fields of geography, psychology, gerontology, economics and health sciences. A survey will be made of the existing responses in the country, both for people diagnosed with dementia and for informal caregivers. This analysis will be carried out with several institutions that provide responses in this area, assessing the services provided and the non-attended needs. People with dementia and their caregivers will also be surveyed.
For Miguel Padeiro, the active involvement of people with dementia and their caregivers is essential for the success of this research: "science has shown us that it is possible and desirable to build knowledge with the involvement of people with dementia and not in a detached way and, in this project, people and their caregivers will participate in the design of the surveys and interviews, so that their voices can be heard". More information about the project is available here.