Following acquired brain injury (ABI), individuals often experience anxiety and/or depressive symptoms. BrainACT is an adapted form of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) tailored to this target group. The current study is a trial-based health-economic evaluation comparing BrainACT to a psychoeducation and relaxation control treatment.

An economic evaluation from a societal perspective was conducted in the Netherlands alongside a multicenter randomized controlled two-armed parallel trial including 72 participants. A cost-utility and cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted where incremental costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and anxiety/depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) score) were collected and presented over a 1-year follow-up period. Bootstrapping, scenario, and subgroup analyses were performed to test the robustness of the results.

The BrainACT arm reported non-significant lower total costs (incremental difference of €−4,881; bootstrap interval €−12,139 to €2,330) combined with significantly decreased anxiety/depression (HADS) (3.2; bootstrap intervals 0.7–5.7). However, the total QALYs were non-significantly lower (−0.008; bootstrap interval −0.060 to 0.042) for BrainACT. The probability of the intervention being cost-effective was 86 percent at a willingness-to-accept threshold of €50,000/QALY. The scenario and subgroup analyses confirmed the robustness of the results.

BrainACT may be a more cost-effective alternative to a psychoeducation and relaxation intervention for anxiety and/or depressive symptoms following ABI. Despite limitations, BrainACT appears to be a promising addition to treatment options in the Netherlands. Further research is needed to validate these findings, and consideration should be given to implementing BrainACT in Dutch clinical settings with ongoing monitoring.

Different aspects of social relationships (e.g., social network size or loneliness) have been associated with dementia risk, while their overlap and potentially underlying pathways remain largely unexplored. This study therefore aimed to (1) discriminate between different facets of social relationships by means of factor analysis, (2) examine their associations with dementia risk, and (3) assess mediation by depressive symptoms.

Thirty-six items from questionnaires on social relationships administered in Wave 2 (2004/2005) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (n = 7536) were used for exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Factors were then used as predictors in Cox proportional hazard models with dementia until Wave 9 as outcome, adjusted for demographics and cardiovascular risk factors. Structural equation modeling tested mediation by depressive symptoms through effect decomposition.

Factor analyses identified six social factors. Across a median follow-up time of 11.8 years (IQR = 5.9–13.9 years), 501 people developed dementia. Higher factor scores for frequency and quality of contact with children (HR = 0.88; p = 0.021) and more frequent social activity engagement (HR = 0.84; p < 0.001) were associated with lower dementia risk. Likewise, higher factor scores for loneliness (HR = 1.13; p = 0.011) and negative experiences of social support (HR = 1.10; p = 0.047) were associated with higher dementia risk. Mediation analyses showed a significant partial effect mediation by depressive symptoms for all four factors. Additional analyses provided little evidence for reverse causation.

Frequency and quality of social contacts, social activity engagement, and feelings of loneliness are associated with dementia risk and might be suitable targets for dementia prevention programs, partly by lowering depressive symptoms.

Numerous e-health programs have shown the potential to enhance psychological and social health outcomes in informal caregivers of People with Dementia (PwD). However, there is still a need for evidence-based interventions tailored to the specific needs of this population, such as maintaining self-management and participating in meaningful activities. This mixed-methods study aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a blended intervention based on acceptance and commitment therapy for informal caregivers of PwD, leading to a better understanding of intervention refinements for future controlled trials.

A single-arm clinical trial design is conducted. A total of 20 informal caregivers of PwD are recruited through memory clinics and social media platforms in the Netherlands. The ACT-IC intervention is delivered over a 9-week period and consists of a collaborative goal-setting session, nine online modules, and nine telephone-based motivational coaching sessions. Feasibility and acceptability are assessed using the attrition rate, adherence to, and engagement with the intervention, the proportion of missing data, and semi-structured interviews. Clinical outcome measures assess depression, anxiety, stress, sense of competence, burden, and self-efficacy at baseline and post-intervention.

Data collection will be completed by May 2023, and analyses are ongoing. Of the 20 caregivers, 19 completed the baseline assessment, and 3 dropped out. Results of an ANOVA investigating the effect of ACT-IC on the outcome measures at post-intervention will be reported, as well as the results of post-hoc analyses that explored the effect on outcomes of goal attainment and meaningful activities, observed use of the website, and reported adherence to the recommended frequency of website use.

The result will contribute to the need for further research on supportive e-health interventions for informal caregivers of PwD. The ACT-IC study is the first trial to apply an evidence-based blended approach to address and evaluate the specific shared needs of caregivers. The mixed-method approach may offer a better understanding of reasons for dropouts, as well as barriers and facilitators that informal caregivers experience over the course of the intervention. Furthermore, social interaction (telephone-based motivational coaching) might improve the feasibility and acceptability of the online ACT intervention.

Advance care planning (ACP), one of the key domains of palliative care, enables individuals to define and discuss goals and preferences for future treatment and care with family and healthcare professionals. By exploring the views of people with dementia on quality of life now and in the future, including the end of life, care provisions can be tailored to their values. The perspectives of people with young-onset dementia (YOD), with a symptom onset before the age of 65, may differ from those of older people with dementia given the different life phase and family context. Qualitative research methods can be used to elicit the attitudes and beliefs to generate insight into their perspectives.

Qualitive study, as part of the Care4Youngdem-study, using semi-structured interviews with a criterion-based purposive sample of community-dwelling people with YOD (n=10) and their (family) caregivers in the Netherlands. We adapted the interview guide based on discussion of the transcripts. Double coding of three interviews resulted in a codebook. The codes were subsequently analysed through thematic analysis.

Interviews took place between December 2019 and February 2022. The most prevalent dementia subtype was Alzheimer’s (n=7). Four overarching themes, based on 21 categories, were derived from the interviews: (1) connectedness with others, (2) sense of dignity, (3) acceptance versus no acceptance of the impact of dementia, (4) concerning oneself with the future versus not wishing to concern oneself with the future. Connectedness with others and a sense of dignity were deemed prerequisites for (future) quality of life but were affected by YOD. These themes overlapped in terms of axial codes. Ambiguities were seen in the attitude towards the impact of YOD and the preparation for the future. The degree of acceptance of YOD affected the orientation towards the future.

Family and professional caregivers should discuss with people with YOD how to maintain connectedness with others and a sense of dignity. Opposite ways of coping with the present and future were found. Professional caregivers should take personal coping styles into account when starting ACP conversations.

The recognition of dementia as a multifactorial disorder encourages the exploration of new pathways to understand its origins. Social health might play a role in cognitive decline and dementia, but conceptual clarity is lacking and this hinders investigation of associations and mechanisms. Social health might provide a new perspective on social connectedness. The objective is to develop a conceptual framework for social health to advance conceptual clarity in future studies and to identify potentially modifiable risk and protective factors in the “Social Health And Reserve in the Dementia patient journey (SHARED)” project.

The methods include the process of building the conceptual framework. We used the following steps: underpinning for concept advancement, concept advancement by the development of a conceptual model, and exploration of its potential feasibility.

Underpinning of the concept drew from a synthesis of theoretical, conceptual and epidemiological work, and resulted in the definition of social health as well-being that relies on capacities both of the individual and the social environment. In the conceptual framework the abstract definition has been elaborated into more precisely defined domains at both the individual and the social environmental levels. This allowed to identify domain related social health characteristics or markers in epidemiological data bases and to investigate associations between these markers and cognitive decline and dementia. The associated social health markers represent potentially modifiable risk and protective factors. Examples are “social engagement” in the participation domain at the individual level, and “frequency of contact” in the structure domain, “exchange of support” in the function domain and “loneliness” in the appraisal domain at the environmental level. The conceptual framework facilitated identification of domain related markers in the SHARED project, thus showing its potential feasibility.

The conceptual framework provides guidance for future research and facilitates identification of potentially modifiable risk and protective factors. These may shape new avenues for preventive interventions. We highlight the paradigm of social health in dementia as a priority for dementia research.

INDUCT (Interdisciplinary Network for Dementia Using Current Technology), and DISTINCT (Dementia Inter-sectorial strategy for training and innovation network for current technology) are two Marie Sklodowska-Curie funded International Training Networks that aimed to develop a multi-disciplinary, inter-sectorial educational research framework for Europe to improve technology and care for people with dementia, and to provide the evidence to show how technology can improve the lives of people with dementia.

In INDUCT (2016-2020) 15 Early Stage Researchers worked on projects in the areas of Technology to support everyday life; technology to promote meaningful activities; and healthcare technology. In DISTINCT (2019-2023) 15 Early Stage Researchers worked on technology to promote Social health in three domains: fulfilling ones potential and obligations in society, managing one’s own life, and participation in social and other meaningful activities.

Both networks adopted three transversal objectives: 1) To determine practical, cognitive and social factors needed to make technology more useable for people with dementia; 2) To evaluate the effectiveness of specific contemporary technology; 3) To trace facilitators and barriers for implementation of technology in dementia care.

The main recommendations resulting from all research projects are integrated in a web-based digital Best Practice Guidance on Human Interaction with Technology in Dementia which was recently updated (Dec 2022 and June 2023) and will be presented at the congress. The recommendations are meant for different target groups, i.e. people in different stages of dementia, their (in)formal carers, policy makers, designers and researchers, who can easily find the recommendations relevant to them in the Best Practice Guidance by means of a digital selection tool.

The INDUCT/DISTINCT Best Practice Guidance informs on how to improve the development, usage, impact and implementation of technology for people with dementia in various technology areas. This Best Practice Guidance is the result of intensive collaborative partnership of INDUCT and DISTINCT with academic and non-academic partners as well as the involvement of representatives of the different target groups throughout the projects.

Focus on the capacity and potential of persons with dementia is needed to enable people and their families to adapt to the changes dementia brings in their lives. For those with young onset dementia (YOD), support to remain in work for as long as possible can preserve one’s self-esteem and sense of purpose in life. However, guidance on how to support people with YOD at their workplace is lacking. This study therefore aims to explore experiences, work values, and support needs of people with YOD in the workplace and other stakeholders involved.

In this qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were held with several target groups namely employees with an established dementia diagnosis, relatives of employees with YOD, employers and co-workers, occupational physicians, human resource professionals, and healthcare professionals involved in dementia care. A topic guide was developed, based on recent literature and consultation of experts, and addressed the following themes: experiences regarding the influence of dementia in the workplace, values such as the importance of work, and support needs in the workplace. Themes were explored in the period before and after diagnosis. The interview data were transcribed and analyzed by means of an inductive content analysis.

In total 33 semi-structured interviews were conducted. Eight themes were derived from the interviews in people with YOD, namely 1) difficulties experienced at work, 2) long diagnostic trajectory and involvement of work-and care professionals, 3) Impact of YOD and coping with YOD, 4) Wish to work, 5) Diagnostic disclosure, 6) The role of the work environment, 7) Phasing out work and future perspectives, and 8) Perception and awareness of YOD. Data of the other target groups is currently being analysed. These results are expected in spring 2023.

This study will result into a better understanding of the possibilities of working with YOD. These insights can be used as a starting point to develop practical tools to support and provide guidance to people with YOD and their (work)environment to prevent loss of work or find meaningful alternatives.

High cognitive activity possibly reduces the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.

To investigate associations between an individual's need to engage in cognitively stimulating activities (need for cognition, NFC) and structural brain damage and cognitive functioning in the Dutch general population with and without existing cognitive impairment.

Cross-sectional data were used from the population-based cohort of the Maastricht Study. NFC was measured using the Need For Cognition Scale. Cognitive functioning was tested in three domains: verbal memory, information processing speed, and executive functioning and attention. Values 1.5 s.d. below the mean were defined as cognitive impairment. Standardised volumes of white matter hyperintensities (WMH), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and presence of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) were derived from 3T magnetic resonance imaging. Multiple linear and binary logistic regression analyses were used adjusted for demographic, somatic and lifestyle factors.

Participants (n = 4209; mean age 59.06 years, s.d. = 8.58; 50.1% women) with higher NFC scores had higher overall cognition scores (B = 0.21, 95% CI 0.17–0.26, P < 0.001) and lower odds for CSVD (OR = 0.74, 95% CI 0.60–0.91, P = 0.005) and cognitive impairment (OR = 0.60, 95% CI 0.48–0.76, P < 0.001) after adjustment for demographic, somatic and lifestyle factors. The association between NFC score and cognitive functioning was similar for individuals with and without prevalent cognitive impairment. We found no significant association between NFC and WMH or CSF volumes.

A high need to engage in cognitively stimulating activities is associated with better cognitive functioning and less presence of CSVD and cognitive impairment. This suggests that, in middle-aged individuals, motivation to engage in cognitively stimulating activities may be an opportunity to improve brain health.

People with young-onset dementia (YOD) living in nursing homes may experience poor quality of life (QoL) due to advanced dementia, high prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms and psychotropic drug use. However, the course of QoL in institutionalized people with YOD and factors that predict this course are unclear. This knowledge could help health professionals identify appropriate interventions to improve QoL in YOD.

To explore the course of QoL in institutionalized people with YOD and resident-related predictors of that course.

Secondary analyses were conducted with longitudinal data from the Behavior and Evolution in Young-ONset Dementia (BEYOND)-II study. A total of 278 people with YOD were recruited from 13 YOD special care units in the Netherlands. QoL was measured by the proxy assessment of Quality of Life in Dementia (QUALIDEM) questionnaire at four assessments over 18 months. Independent variables included age, gender, dementia subtype, length of stay, dementia severity, neuropsychiatric symptoms and psychotropic drug use at baseline. Multilevel modeling adjusted for correlation within nursing homes and residents was used to determine the course and predictors of QoL.

The total QUALIDEM score (range: 0–111) decreased over 18 months with a statistically significant decline of 0.73 points per six months. A significant increase of QoL over time was seen in the subscales “Care relationship”, “Positive self-image”, and “Feeling at home”. However, a significant decline was observed in the subscales “Positive affect”, “Social relations”, and “Something to do”. Residents’ course of QoL was positively associated with the baseline scores of the QoL, age and longer duration of stay; however, being male, having advanced dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and high rates of neuropsychiatric symptoms at baseline were negatively associated with the course of QoL

Longitudinal changes in QoL in residents with YOD were small over 18 months and QUALIDEM subscales showed multidirectional changes. The largest QoL decline in the subscale “Positive affect” suggests that interventions should be targeted to improve positive emotions, in particular for male residents with neuropsychiatric symptoms and advanced dementia.

Relationship quality (RQ) in dyads of persons with dementia and their family carers is important both as a clinical outcome and as a determinant of health and quality of life. In previous work we studied RQ using baseline data of a large-scale European longitudinal study on timely access to and use of community formal services in dementia (EU-JPND Acticare). We concluded that neuropsychiatric symptoms and carer stress contributed to discrepancies in RQ ratings within the dyad, which were less favourable when reported by family carers. This and other associations (e.g. between carer-rated RQ and sense of coherence) were cautiously interpreted, in the context of a cross-sectional analysis.

To analyse how carer-reported RQ varies over time and to examine its most important influencing factors.

We present preliminary longitudinal analyses from the Actifcare cohort study of 451 community-dwelling persons with dementia and their primary carers in eight European countries (12-month follow-up). Comprehensive assessments included the Positive Affect Index (PAI) to assess RQ, persons with dementia’s neuropsychiatric symptoms, persons with dementia and carers’ unmet needs, carers’ anxiety and depression, social support, sense of coherence and stress.

Carers’ mean PAI scores decreased over the 12 -month period. The person with dementia neuropsychiatric symptoms and unmet needs, and carers’ perceived social support were significant predictors of carers’ RQ change.

We analysed carer-reported RQ variation over time and predictors in a large European sample of persons with dementia and their family carers. As expected, RQ decreased over the oneyear follow-up period as the disease progressed. Its main predictors in this sample (neuropsychiatric symptoms and the person’s unmet needs, together with carers’ social support) can all influence the impact that caregiving has on the carer and on how time and energy-consuming caregiving is. The role of increased clinical symptoms (also affecting communication difficulties), together with carers’ exhaustion, must be equated. Overall, these results may help us to tailor interventions addressing RQ and potentially improve dementia outcomes.

Young-onset dementia (YOD) has a profound impact on spouses. However, little is known on how the quality of the relationship changes over time in YOD. This study aims to determine how the quality of the relationship changes over time and identify predictors of this change.

This study used data from the NEEDs in Young onset Dementia (NeedYD) study. The primary outcome measure was the quality of the relationship perceived by spouses measured throughout 24 months. Baseline characteristics of persons with YOD and spouses were also measured to assess their predictive value.

Totally, 178 dyads were included. The perceived quality of the relationship deteriorated over time. A longer symptom duration, a diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia, lower levels of awareness of deficits, lower levels of initiative toward daily living activities, and higher levels of apathy, hyperactivity, depression, and anxiety in the person with YOD were associated with a lower perceived quality of the relationship by spouses. A coping style characterized by palliative and passive reacting patterns and higher levels of neuroticism in spouses was also associated with a lower quality of the relationship.

The quality of the relationship as perceived by spouses deteriorated over time and was influenced by characteristics of the person with YOD as well as their spouse. Helping spouses to come to terms with factors that threaten their sense of couplehood might help them to develop a more positive attitude toward their spousal relationship and improve the quality of the relationship and care.

The aim of this study was to investigate survival time and life-expectancy in people with young-onset dementia (YOD) and to examine the relationship with age, sex, dementia subtype and comorbidity.

Survival was examined in 198 participants in the Needs in Young-onset Dementia study, including participants with Alzheimer’s dementia (AD), vascular dementia (VaD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

The primary outcomes were survival time after symptom onset and after date of diagnosis. Cox proportional hazards models were used to explore the relationship between survival and age, sex, dementia subtype and comorbidity. Additionally, the impact on remaining life expectancy was explored.

During the six-year follow-up, 77 of the participants died (38.9%), 78 participants survived (39.4%) and 43 were lost to follow-up (21.7%). The mean survival time after symptom onset and diagnosis was 209 months (95% CI 185-233) and 120 months (95% CI 110-130) respectively. Participants with AD had a statistically significant shorter survival compared with VaD participants, both regarding survival after symptom onset (p = 0.047) as well as regarding survival after diagnosis (p = 0.049). Younger age at symptom onset or at diagnosis was associated with longer survival times. The remaining life expectancy, after diagnosis, was reduced with 51% for males and 59% for females compared to the life expectancy of the general population in the same age groups.

It is important to consider the dementia subtype when persons with YOD and their families are informed about the prognosis of survival. Our study suggests longer survival times compared to other studies on YOD, and survival is prolonged compared to studies on LOD. Younger age at symptom onset or at diagnosis was positively related to survival but diagnosis at younger ages, nevertheless, still diminishes life expectancy dramatically.

To explore the aspects of daily life that give people with young-onset dementia (YOD) a sense of usefulness.

Eighteen people with YOD and 21 informal caregivers participated in this qualitative study. Participants were recruited from specialized day-care centers for people with YOD in the Netherlands. Four focus groups were conducted with people with YOD, and four with informal caregivers. Focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using inductive content analysis.

Four themes emerged from the analysis: (1) staying engaged, (2) loss in daily life, (3) coping and adaptation, and (4) external support. Staying engaged in activities that provide a sense of usefulness or participating in leisure and recreational activities as much as possible in daily life emerged as the key theme. Retaining a sense of usefulness was considered both important and possible by having social roles or participating in functional activities. The importance of activities providing a sense of usefulness seemed to decrease over time, while the need for pleasant activities seemed to increase. Experienced loss, coping, adaptation, and available external support are important parts of the context in which the person with YOD tries to engage in daily life as much as possible. Active coping styles and external support appear to play a facilitating role in staying engaged.

It is important for people with YOD to have the opportunity to feel useful; especially in the early stages of the condition. Caregivers should be educated in ways to enhance a sense of usefulness and engagement in daily life for people with YOD.

Access to social support contributes to feelings of independence and better social health. This qualitative study aims to investigate multi-informant perspectives on informal social support in dementia care networks.

Ten spousal caregivers of people with dementia (PwD) completed an ecogram, a social network card and a semi-structured interview. The ecogram aimed to trigger subjective experiences regarding social support. Subsequently, 17 network members were interviewed. The qualitative analyses identified codes, categories, and themes.

Sixth themes emerged: (1) barriers to ask for support; (2) facilitators to ask for support; (3) barriers to offer support; (4) facilitators to offer support; (5) a mismatch between supply and demand of social support; and (6) openness in communication to repair the imbalance.

Integrating social network perspectives resulted in a novel model identifying a mismatch between the supply and demand of social support, strengthened by a cognitive bias: caregivers reported to think for other social network members and vice versa. Openness in communication in formal and informal care systems might repair this mismatch.

Young Onset Dementia (YOD), defined by first symptoms of cognitive or behavioral decline occurring before the age of 65 years, is relatively rare compared to dementia of later onset, but it is associated with diagnostic difficulty and heavy burden on affected individuals and their informal carers. Existing health and social care structures rarely meet the needs of YOD patients. Internet-based interventions are a novel format of delivering health-related education, counseling, and support to this vulnerable yet underserved group.

The RHAPSODY (Research to Assess Policies and Strategies for Dementia in the Young) project is a European initiative to improve care for people with YOD by providing an internet-based information and skill-building program for family carers. The e-learning program focuses on managing problem behaviors, dealing with role change, obtaining support, and looking after oneself. It will be evaluated in a pilot study in three countries using a randomized unblinded design with a wait-list control group. Participants will be informal carers of people with dementia in Alzheimer's disease or behavioral-variant Frontotemporal degeneration with an onset before the age of 65 years. The primary outcome will be caregiving self-efficacy after 6 weeks of program use. As secondary outcomes, caregivers’ stress and burden, carer health-related quality of life, caring-related knowledge, patient problem behaviors, and user satisfaction will be assessed. Program utilization will be monitored and a health-economic evaluation will also be performed.

The RHAPSODY project will add to the evidence on the potential and limitations of a conveniently accessible, user-friendly, and comprehensive internet-based intervention as an alternative for traditional forms of counseling and support in healthcare, aiming to optimize care and support for people with YOD and their informal caregivers.

Early individualized interventions for informal dementia caregivers can prevent overburdening in the later stages. However, the needs of early-stage dementia caregivers (EDC) remain largely unknown. This study aimed to explore the needs and wishes and need for care of EDC to maximize the benefit of potential programs for EDC and tailor interventions accordingly.

Four focus group interviews with 28 informal caregivers of people with dementia (PwD) were analyzed using inductive content analysis. Both EDC and caregivers in the later stages were included to compare perceived EDC needs from different points in the caregiver career.

Four themes were identified: the early-stage needs paradox, barriers in acceptance, facilitators in acceptance, and a transition from loss to adaptation. The retrospective view provided by later-stage caregivers differed from the view of EDC; EDC struggled with acknowledging needs due to fear of stigma and low acceptance. EDC stressed the importance of acceptance as a prerequisite for adequate adaptation, but were hindered by lack of knowledge, difficulty acknowledging changes, and focus on loss. In contrast, better understanding of the disease, increasing personal time, structuring ones day, and using appropriate humor can reduce negative communication, increase positive encounters and caregiver-confidence, contributing to positive interaction with the care recipient and an increase in well-being.

Early therapeutic interventions could help caregivers identify their needs, increase knowledge about changes in roles and relationship reciprocity, and focus on enhancement of the positive, intact experiences to prevent caregiver burden.

Young-onset dementia (YOD) is defined as dementia that develops before the age of 65 years. The prevalence and type of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in YOD differ from patients with late onset dementia. NPS in dementia patients are often treated with psychotropic drugs. The aim of this study was to investigate psychotropic drug use (PDU) in Dutch community-dwelling YOD patients and the association between age, gender, dementia etiology and severity, symptoms of depression, disease awareness, unmet needs, and type of NPS.

Psychotropic drug use in 196 YOD patients was registered. Drugs were categorized according to the Anatomical Therapeutical Chemical classification. The association between age, gender, dementia type, dementia stage, type of NPS, depressive symptoms, disease awareness, and amount of unmet needs on total PDU was analyzed using binomial logistic regression analysis.

Fifty-two percent of the patients were prescribed at least one psychotropic drug; 36.2% of patients used one drug, and 12.2% used two different drugs. Antidepressants (36.2%) and antipsychotic drugs (17.3%) were the most frequently prescribed psychotropic drugs. Anti-dementia drugs were prescribed in 51.5% of the patients. Increasing age and moderate to severe depressive symptoms were positively associated with the total use of psychotropic drugs.

Community-dwelling YOD patients have a high prevalence of PDU. More research is needed to study the association between unmet needs, NPS, and PDU, and psychosocial interventions have to be developed to limit the use of psychotropic drugs in YOD.