Formal Service Use by African American Individuals With Dementia and Their Caregivers An Integrative Review

Dementia is a predominant problem in older adults, affecting African American individuals at higher rates than other ethnic groups; yet, African American older adults use fewer formal services. To identify factors influencing formal service use by African American individuals with dementia and their caregivers, an integrative review of the literature was performed using four databases from 1990 to July 2017. Fourteen articles (nine quantitative, five qualitative) describing formal service use were included in the review. Three main themes were identified: Formal Service Need, Expectations of Formal Service Providers, and Formal Service Use. Recommendations to improve formal service use are suggested.