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BACKGROUND: While people with dementia commonly experience depression, access to psychological treatment is low. A guided low-intensity behavioral activation intervention may represent a solution. Considering implementation barriers and facilitators is important during intervention development to increase the future implementation potential of an intervention. However, involving patients and informal caregivers in identifying implementation barriers and facilitators during intervention development is rarely done. Involving patients and informal caregivers may be particularly important for low-intensity interventions, given the active role they are expected to adopt for successful intervention implementation, e.g., they are seen as active agents as opposed to passive recipients. Study aims were to: (1) develop an understanding of the existing healthcare and community support in the Swedish context for people with dementia and informal caregivers, and (2) identify people with dementia and informal caregivers' perceived barriers and facilitators to intervention uptake informed by Normalization Process Theory (NPT).

METHODS: Following an interview guide informed by NPT, semi-structured interviews were held with people with dementia (n = 8) and informal caregivers (n = 19). Interview transcripts were analyzed using the NPT coding manual, with an inductive approach adopted for data related to the core theoretical NPT constructs, but not represented within its sub-constructs.

RESULTS: Nine deductive and three inductive categories related to three core NPT constructs (Coherence, Cognitive Participation, Collective Action) were identified. Barriers included: (1) extensive intervention material, (2) dementia symptoms, and (3) lacking acceptance of the dementia. Facilitators included: (1) intervention having potential to fill a large psychological treatment gap, (2) understanding and agreeing upon the intervention purpose and potential benefits, (3) intervention guide having professional experience in dementia, and (4) a trusting face-to-face relationship with the intervention guide.

CONCLUSIONS: Implementation barriers and facilitators were identified alongside evidence-based implementation strategies to be adopted in the future. Additional barriers and facilitators were identified to those recognized by dementia healthcare and community interest-holders, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the potential diversity of perspectives among different groups within the healthcare triad. By integrating these diverse perspectives early in the intervention development, we aim to develop an intervention optimized for implementation within real-world settings, meeting global health priorities to support people with dementia and their families live well with dementia.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not applicable.