Ethical Principles in European National Dementia Strategies: A Framework Analysis

Abstract

The prevalence of dementia is rising rapidly across the European Union, necessitating comprehensive national and international responses. National Dementia Strategies serve as key policy instruments, outlining priorities for dementia care across European countries. While numerous organizations have proposed ethical principles to guide dementia policy, limited knowledge exists on ethical priorities in EU dementia policies. This study examines the ethical principles embedded in European national dementia atrategies, analyzing their definitions, contexts of application, and relative emphasis. Using framework analysis, this study systematically analyzed 17 European national dementia atrategies, identifying commonalities and variations in ethical priorities. Findings reveal a broad spectrum of ethical principles present across national dementia strategies throughout the EU. However, findings also suggest significant variations in how principles are interpreted.