Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40221842›Full record

SynthesisDementia (London, England)2026

Barriers and facilitators to accessing and engaging with arts-based non-pharmacological interventions for people living with dementia: A systematic review.

Megan Polden, Megan Rose Readman, Tahlia Barnard, Abigail Godfrey, Annabel Gray, Clarissa Giebel

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Dementia (London, England), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Megan PoldenDepartment of Primary Care & Mental Health, University of Liverpool, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-1813-0765
Megan Rose ReadmanDepartment of Primary Care & Mental Health, University of Liverpool, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-5259-7887
Tahlia BarnardDepartment of Primary Care & Mental Health, University of Liverpool, UK.
Abigail GodfreyDepartment of Primary Care & Mental Health, University of Liverpool, UK.ORCID 0009-0006-4500-7494
Annabel GrayDepartment of Primary Care & Mental Health, University of Liverpool, UK.ORCID 0009-0001-6355-2254
Clarissa GiebelDepartment of Primary Care & Mental Health, University of Liverpool, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-0746-0566

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background and AimsNon-pharmacological arts interventions are increasingly being recognised as effective and beneficial ways to support and improve cognition and general well-being for people with dementia. However, accessing and engaging with beneficial arts interventions and support services can be challenging for people with dementia and their carers and it is important to understand barriers and facilitators that may impede access. This systematic review aimed to synthesise evidence on the barriers and facilitators to accessing and engaging with arts interventions and services for people living with dementia.MethodsWe systematically searched five electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science) for studies reporting barriers and facilitators to accessing and engaging with arts interventions for people with dementia in July 2024, screening a total of 7815 articles. Nineteen papers were deemed eligible for inclusion in this review including 567 people with dementia, 320 unpaid carers and 355 paid carers.ResultsThis review highlights key facilitators and barriers to accessing and engaging with arts interventions for people with dementia. Key facilitators included the assistance of volunteers, the inclusion of unpaid carers in the sessions, and the effective facilitation of sessions. Barriers to access and engagement were identified for people with dementia and their unpaid carers such as increased reliance on unpaid carers and a lack of training and time for paid carers.ConclusionsIncreased awareness of these barriers and facilitators could aid in designing future arts interventions and support services to promote wider access and engagement for people with dementia and their carers.

Indexed as

Art TherapyCaregiversDementiaHealth Services AccessibilityHumansaccessarts interventionsbarriersdementiaengagementfacilitators

Identifiers

PMID40221842
PMCPMC13061310

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.