# Late and uneven diagnosis

Source: https://onco.cc/bottlenecks/da-bn-late-diagnosis/  
OnCo record `da-bn-late-diagnosis` (Bottleneck). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Many people receive a dementia diagnosis late, or never receive a subtype. That blocks both care planning and trial entry.

## Summary

Primary care time, fear, stigma, and limited memory-clinic capacity all delay a named diagnosis. Biomarker tests help only if someone is referred and the result will change care.

## Fields

- Kind: Bottleneck
- Last checked: 2026-09-21
- Tags: dementia-atlas
- Stage: prevention-detection
- Severity: major
- Metrics: Public education source on delayed recognition: See NIA public pages (NIA)
- Causes: Symptoms dismissed as normal ageing.; Specialist waiting lists.; Biomarker tests concentrated in academic centres.

## Sources

- NIA: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-and-dementia

## Connected records

- diagnoses: [Alzheimer’s disease](https://onco.cc/diagnoses/alzheimers-disease/), [Dementia (umbrella)](https://onco.cc/diagnoses/dementia/)
- ideas: [Blood test before PET or lumbar puncture](https://onco.cc/ideas/da-idea-blood-first-triage/)

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