{
  "abstract": "Objectives To better inform dementia management, it is important to understand how individuals experience, interpret and respond to dementia policy in real life. This study aimed to explore key stakeholders’ perspectives on the critical determinants of effective implementation of the first dementia policy in Macao, and the impact of policy implementation on dementia care.Design Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted in person with key stakeholders identified in earlier phases of the research. The participants were encouraged to share their opinions on the significance and objectives of the dementia policy, the changes in dementia care related to the launch of the policy, and how to better implement the policy for continuous improvement.Setting Interviews were conducted face-to-face at the participants’ office or at a location of their choice.Participants Individuals involved in the planning, establishing, leading, managing, operating, implementing, participating in, using and/or advocating for dementia policies and/or comprehensive dementia care models.Results All participants perceived the Macao Dementia Policy as a landmark initiative that raised public awareness, fostered inter-professional collaboration and established a foundational service network. At the service level, they reported improvements in the accessibility of diagnostic pathways and greater attention to caregiver support. Nevertheless, implementation challenges remained, including fragmented service information, inadequate non-pharmacological treatment options and limited service capacity. Participants recommended that future actions should focus on optimising long-term policy planning and resource allocation, strengthening the direct support network for caregivers, and enhancing public education and research-informed innovation.Conclusion Macao’s experience suggests that the successful implementation of a dementia policy requires not only the establishment of formal service structures but also a concerted focus on optimising resource allocation and strengthening caregiver support. To further enhance the policy’s effectiveness, future efforts should prioritise designing and assessing targeted interventions.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "State Key Laboratory of Mechanism and Quality of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China"
      ],
      "name": "Yu Zheng"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "State Key Laboratory of Mechanism and Quality of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China"
      ],
      "name": "Pou Kuan Tang"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "State Key Laboratory of Mechanism and Quality of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China"
      ],
      "name": "Yiwei Zhao"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "State Key Laboratory of Mechanism and Quality of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China",
        "Centre for Pharmaceutical Regulatory Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China"
      ],
      "name": "Menghuan Song"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "State Key Laboratory of Mechanism and Quality of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China",
        "Centre for Pharmaceutical Regulatory Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China",
        "Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China"
      ],
      "name": "Hao Hu"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "State Key Laboratory of Mechanism and Quality of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China",
        "Centre for Pharmaceutical Regulatory Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China",
        "Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China"
      ],
      "name": "Carolina Oi Lam Ung"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Qualitative study of stakeholder perspectives on dementia policy implementation in Macao: progress, challenges and future directions",
  "uid": "9de4d413-7255-5f77-a59b-78d6c6e13770"
}