Social impacts and the use of technology appropriation in planning care for patients with dementia in times of pandemic

Dementia is a syndrome described by a progressive decline of cognitive function, affecting the ability to perform daily activities and causing great impact on patients, their families and society. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing social issues, such as health care access. However, the full extent of its consequences remains unclear. This study aims to analyze the post-pandemic scenario in public health services linked to the Medical School of São Paulo State University from the perspective of technology appropriation, which in primary care refers to any technology developed through community interaction and intended to provide a solution towards a social issue. The research also proposes to identify socioeconomic and psychological impacts involved in the healthcare of patients with dementia, the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on it, as well as the key areas that can be addressed to mitigate these repercussions. To accomplish this, a questionnaire was applied to caregivers of dementia patients. The results, consistent with similar studies, reveal a multifactorial burden on caregivers, particularly affecting female family members, who assume caregiving responsibilities as a result of the distorted division of labor present in our society. The pandemic amplified this burden, especially in economic and psychological aspects. However, its consequences could not be adequately assessed due to the absence of integration among electronic systems across different levels of healthcare. Thus, this study suggests that technology appropriation can be used to provide integration, enhancing access to data, and, consequently, the planning of health improvements for this population.