Introduction:

Worldwide, nearly 56 million people are living with dementia. It is estimated that this number will reach nearly 82 million in 2030 and over 152 million in 2050, unless multifactorial interventions and new treatments are implemented to prevent, delay the onset, and slow or stop its progression.

Objective:

Describe the barriers to the diagnosis of dementia in primary health care.

Methods:

Bibliographic review of the literature on this subject published between January 1, 2017, and July 30, 2023 in PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Lilacs, SciELO and Cochrane CENTRAL databases, using the terms "Alzheimer's", OR "dementia, diagnosis, and primary health care providers".

Results:

50 % of dementia cases are undiagnosed in primary care settings, delaying detection until later in the course of the disease. Barriers that limit the diagnosis of dementia include factors related to the patient/carer/society, factors related to dementia, and factors related to health systems, governments, and national and international organizations.

Conclusions:

With the accelerated aging of the population and the increase in the number of people with dementia, primary health providers need to be aware of and well trained in early detection, treatment, and support for people with dementia and their families.

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