Intersectionality and its relevance for research in dementia care of people with a migration background

Despite the care and support needs of migrants affected by dementia differing from the population of the country where they live now, most European countries do not provide specific strategies to address migration in their national dementia plans. The concept of intersectionality provides an innovative approach to dementia care perspectives and methodologies.

The aim is to define intersectionality and to provide examples of applying the concept to dementia care research, focusing on people with a migration background.

This article was conceptualized and discussed during virtual INTERDEM taskforce meetings in 2020/2021, while discussing identified literature on intersectionality, migration, and dementia care research.

Using an intersectionality framework allows understanding of a person’s lived experience by considering the dimensionality, co-occurrence and interlocking of factors (e.g., sex/gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, migration status, geographic location/place).

Intersectionality can be applied as a conceptual and methodological approach to identify and address gaps in perspectives and in (dementia care) research to overcome the threat of ignorance, exclusion and discrimination.