Controversy prevelant in UK dementia diagnoses
Over 344,000 people in the UK had a diagnosis of dementia in 2013-14 compared to 213,000 in 2006-7, a rise of 60%. One reason is that the over 80s have the fastest growth in numbers in the population.
More controversially, doctors in the UK are under strict orders to look for the disease in their patients. In fact they are actually financially incentivised to find more people! Typically they will ask any patient they see over the age of 75 if they have experienced short-term memory loss.
Those in favour of this scheme say that it helps people plan for the future. Those against say that it causes unnecessary worry and concern, especially given there are no helpful treatments available for dementia or Alzheimer’s in the UK.
