Background

The number of persons living with dementia is increasing globally, including in Sweden, and these persons are at heightened risk of going missing and coming to harm. When they do go missing, the police get involved. There is a dearth of knowledge surrounding the prevalence and outcomes of harm in these instances in many countries, including Sweden, which affects our understanding of the associated risks and necessary interventions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe incidents of missing people and explore factors associated with harm in persons living with dementia as reported to the Swedish Police.

Methods

Data on background characteristics, the missing incidents, and police response was collected from a nationwide police registry. The missing incidents were analysed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression was used to explore factors associated with harm.

Results

A total of 1,041 missing person case reports concerning persons living with dementia were identified. In 61 (6%) of these reports, the missing person was harmed. The level of harm varied from lacerations to death. Male sex, no prior missing incidents, cold season, time since last contact, delayed reporting, and prolonged duration of police search effort were significantly associated with an increased probability of harm.

Conclusions

Persons living with dementia constituted a substantial proportion of all missing persons case reports submitted to the Swedish Police during the study period. Persons living with dementia were also at considerable risk of harm when missing, as even minor injuries can lead to substantial consequences. Furthermore, time was a critical factor, emerging as the strongest predictor of harm in the study. This calls for the development of collaborative routines between the police and professional caregivers caring for persons living with dementia.