ARH Scholar Zhenyu Zhang has recently completed a PhD creating a world-first ontology for non-medical interventions to assist in managing dementia symptoms.

In 2023, more than 400,000 Australians live with dementia with many of the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) difficult for those with dementia and their families.

The study focused on non-medication interventions, a first-line treatment, which require healthcare professionals to have a thorough knowledge of patients and their health history, information that can be difficult to source from clinical records.

The new ontology, Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia Non-Pharmacological Treatment Ontology (BPSDNPTO), is a comprehensive description of non-medical interventions to simplify the access of dementia information through computerised classification systems.

Through easier access to BPSD treatments and information, healthcare workers will be better equipped to implement non-medical interventions safely and effectively.

Zhenyu Zhang was awarded the Eric Abrahams PhD Scholarship in a collaboration with Australia Rotary Health, the Woy Woy Rotary Cub, and the University of Wollongong.

Their findings have been published in two journal articles with a third currently under review.

Read more about their research here and here.

Media contact: [email protected]    First published 31st March 2023