Exploring representation of people without cohabiting carers in research on help-seeking for dementia diagnosis: a scoping review protocol

Background People with possible dementia without cohabiting carers are a growing but under-researched group. Although help-seeking for dementia diagnosis often depends on the involvement of family members, carers, or other significant others, it remains unclear how living arrangement and supporter/carer-related variables are represented in this literature. Methods and analysis This scoping review will be conducted according to Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework and reported in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Searches will be conducted in Web of Science Core Collection, Medline, Embase, Scopus, APA PsycINFO, and CINAHL Ultimate. Eligible studies will be peer-reviewed primary research on real-life help-seeking for dementia diagnosis involving people experiencing cognitive concerns, memory problems, mild cognitive impairment, or dementia. Findings will be summarised and synthesised. Discussion This review will map how living arrangement and supporter/carer-related variables are defined, reported, and analysed in research on help-seeking for dementia diagnosis. It is expected to identify important gaps in the current literature and inform recommendations for more consistent inclusion and reporting of these variables in future research. Ethics and dissemination This scoping review protocol has been registered with the Open Science Framework (OSF) and is embargoed until 1 January 2027. The findings will be presented at relevant conferences, and the manuscript will be submitted to peer-reviewed journals. Clinical trial registration https://osf.io/e32qu .