Australia - Australian dementia research is falling behind

Citation

(2012), "Australia - Australian dementia research is falling behind", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 25 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijhcqa.2012.06225faa.007

Australia - Australian dementia research is falling behind

Article Type: News and views From: International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Volume 25, Issue 6

Keywords: Dementia care and treatment, Chronic disease management, Healthcare research

Dementia is the third leading cause of death in Australia, but dementia research is grossly underfunded in comparison to other chronic diseases.

This is the message being delivered by the Alzheimer’s Australia Consumer Dementia Research Network to the Strategic Review of Health and Medical Research in Australia, led by Simon McKeon.

“Dementia research receives $24 million per year, only one sixth of the funding provided to cancer research, and less than half of the funding allocated to diabetes,” said Ms Tara Quirke, Member of the Alzheimer’s Australia Consumer Dementia Research Network.

The current cost of dementia care is $6 billion per annum and as more and more people develop dementia, the cost to Australia will grow to $83 billion by the 2060s.

“It is clear that dementia is not being prioritised, and that not enough is being done to build capacity in dementia research,” Ms Quirke said.

“As a result, dementia research is falling behind.”

The submission to the McKeon Review is backed up by a new report on funding data from the National Health and Medical Research Council that was commissioned by Alzheimer’s Australia.

“We looked at dementia research funding over ten years in comparison to research on cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, mental health and asthma,” Mr Glenn Rees, CEO Alzheimer’s Australia said.

“Funding for dementia research is miles behind the other chronic conditions, and the gap is growing larger.

“Without a way to prevent dementia the 280,000 Australians who currently have dementia will grow to almost one million by 2050.

“Unless we can get a handle on dementia by closing the gap in funding between dementia and other diseases, there will be no way to manage the major chronic disease of the 21st century.”

For more information: www.ahha.asn.au