scholarly journals Nursing Staff’s Knowledge and Attitudes toward Dementia: A Pilot Study from an Indian Perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 352-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benedicte Sørensen Strøm ◽  
Knut Engedal ◽  
Lasse Andreassen

Background: Despite the increased prevalence of dementia in India, reports indicate little awareness of the disease. Symptoms are often misinterpreted or neglected, which could lead to late diagnosis, reducing the choices available regarding future care. Considering that most nurses caring for the elderly will work with people with dementia in the future, there is concern surrounding their ability to meet the needs of these patients, requiring them to obtain the necessary knowledge and positive attitudes for treatment. Aims: To describe the knowledge of and attitudes toward dementia among nursing staff working in residential care facilities for elderly populations in India. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 3 nursing homes in India in which 15 nursing staff conducted self-assessments of their knowledge and attitudes toward dementia using the Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS) and the Attitude toward Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias Scale (DAS) for each respective assessment. Descriptive statistics were used to describe staffs’ attitudes and knowledge concerning dementia. Continuous variables were presented as means ± SD, while the categorical variables were presented as percentages. Results: Although the majority of the participants answered that Alzheimer’s disease cannot be cured, about half reported that people with dementia, in rare cases, can recover from the disease. While all participants agreed that people with dementia can feel when others are kind to them, almost half disagreed that people living with dementia can enjoy life. Conclusion: These findings reveal that nursing staff have limited knowledge of dementia, but their attitudes toward people living with dementia tend to be positive.

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Fernandes Tonholi ◽  
Gisele Oltramari

Aims: To determine the prevalence, cognitive performance and functionality of elderly people with Alzheimer's disease in long-stay institutions for the elderlyin the city of Bento Gonçalves. Methods: Cross-sectional study including 24 elderly residents in long-stay institutions for the elderly, sociodemographic datawere obtained, and the elderly were subjected to functional evaluation by the Functional Independence Measure and evaluation of cognitive performancethrough the mental state the Mini (MMSE). Results: Most of the residents were female (83%), as 54.2% schooling had completed junior high school, mostof the elderly (70.8%) was admitted by the will of the family, 100% of the elderly showed cognitive performance bad, and the smaller the more dependentcognitive performance was the individual. Conclusion: institutionalized elderly with Alzheimer's disease had negative results on cognitive performance,as well as deficits in their ability to perform activities of daily living, thus altering their functionality.Keywords: aging; functionality; cognition; Alzheimer Disease; long-stay institutions.


Sexual Health ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Lorch ◽  
Rebecca Guy ◽  
Meredith Temple-Smith ◽  
Alaina Vaisey ◽  
Anna Wood ◽  
...  

Background We aimed to determine the impact of a chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis) education program on the knowledge of and attitudes towards chlamydia testing of practice nurses (PNs). Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted at baseline and 6–12 months following recruitment with PNs in the Australian Chlamydia Control Effectiveness Pilot. Likert scales were analysed as continuous variables (scores), and t-tests were used to assess changes in mean scores between survey rounds and groups. Results: Of the 72 PNs who completed both surveys, 42 received education. Epidemiology knowledge scores increased significantly between surveys in the education group (P < 0.01), with change in knowledge being greater in the education group compared with the non-education group (P < 0.01). Knowledge of recommended testing scenarios (P = 0.01) and retesting following treatment (P < 0.01) increased in the education group. Attitudes to testing scores improved over time in the education group (P = 0.03), with PNs more likely to want increased involvement in chlamydia testing (P < 0.01). Change in overall attitude scores towards testing between surveys was higher in the education group (P = 0.05). Barriers to chlamydia testing scores also increased in the education group (P = 0.03), with change in barriers greater in the education vs the non-education group (P = 0.03). Conclusion: The education program led to improved knowledge and attitudes to chlamydia, and could be made available to PNs working in general practice. Future analyses will determine if the education program plus other initiatives can increase testing rates.


2011 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 108-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inge Cantegreil-Kallen ◽  
Stéphanie Pin

ABSTRACTBackground: The negative image of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in our society has a substantial impact on treating, caring for and integrating those suffering from the disease and their relatives. Little research has been conducted on social perception of AD in the community.Methods: The aim of this study was to investigate the perception, knowledge, opinions and beliefs about AD in the French population. A cross-sectional telephone survey of 2013 randomly selected community-dwelling people aged 18 years and over was conducted. Multivariate logistic regressions were used for identifying predictors of the personal fear of developing AD, both for the global sample and for different age groups.Results: Sixty percent of the sample reported personal fear of developing AD. This attitude was strongly related to age, becoming predominant among the elderly. In the middle-aged group, personal fear of developing AD was highest in women with poor self-perceived health and, in particular, those who cared for someone with AD. Being a caregiver or knowing someone with the disease was also strongly associated with fear among younger adults aged 18–34.Conclusions: These results serve as an incentive for developing special education and prevention programs focused on different age groups and caregivers of AD.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daphne Sze Ki Cheung ◽  
Lily Yuen Wah Ho ◽  
Robin Ka Ho Kwok ◽  
Daniel Lok Lam Lai ◽  
Claudia Kam Yuk Lai

Abstract Background: Volunteers have been a valuable resource in supporting people with dementia and their caregivers in the community. However, factors such as misconceptions, negative attitudes towards dementia, and a lack of motivation might impact the quality of volunteer care. The aim of the present paper is to examine the effect of training and service provision on the knowledge and attitudes of volunteers towards dementia, as well as the association between such knowledge and attitudes and the motivation to volunteer. Methods: The present study is part of an effectiveness-implementation cluster randomized clinical hybrid trial using a music-with-movement intervention to promote the well-being of people with dementia and their informal caregivers. Volunteers were recruited to receive training to support the delivery of the intervention. Training and enrichment workshops were offered to volunteers during the one-year project. Before and after their volunteer training and service, the recruited volunteers were asked to complete the following assessments: The Volunteer Functions Inventory, Dementia Attitudes Scale, and the Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale. Wilcoxon signed-rank test and multiple regression test were applied for statistical analyses. Results: A total of 127 volunteers were recruited and 81 of them completed a mean period of 47.32 weeks of training and service. Significant improvements in their total score on the Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale (p=.009) and Dementia Attitudes Scale (p<.001) were found. Dementia knowledge (β=.57, p<.001) and attitudes (β=-.18, p=.038) were found to have the most significant association with the motivation to be a volunteer at baseline. Conclusions: The present study illustrated the importance of quality volunteer training and voluntary service in improving the dementia knowledge and attitudes of volunteers. It also shed light on the association between knowledge and attitudes with the motivation to volunteer. Accordingly, future research and public health policymakers should address more efforts to amplify the advantage of volunteers as a vital asset in dementia care.Trial Registration: NCT03575026 (ClinicalTrials.gov), First registeration on 02/07/2018.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
VALLENCE NIYONZIMA ◽  
Samuel Maling ◽  
Zeina Chemali

Abstract Background: The world’s population is ageing resulting in a larger number of people living with dementia. Prevalence of dementia for persons aged above 60 years is expected to increase . There is paucity of information regarding formal support available for institutionalised individuals with AD/ADRD, enablers and barriers to its utilisation particularly South Western Uganda. Therefore this study, filling this knowledge gap, sought to assess formal support available for individuals with AD/ADRD, enablers and barriers to its utilisation in rural communities in South Western Uganda Methods: This study was conducted in two nongovernmental community based facilities for the elderly in South Western Uganda employing a qualitative cross sectional study design. Purposive sampling was used to recruit caretakers of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. A total of 28 in depth interviews and 6 key informant interviews were conducted. Results: Three arching themes emerged: 1) Formal support services available, 2) Enablers and 3) Barriers to the utilisation of the formal support services in institutionalised patients with AD/ADRD in rural communities in South Western Uganda. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of formal care in the long-term care of individuals with AD/ADRD. There is a dire need to equip caretakers involved in the care of patients with AD/ADRD with the required skill set and include formal support services in the mainstream primary health care to make the services accessible.


Dementia ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 147130122091832
Author(s):  
Sang E Lee ◽  
Michin Hong ◽  
Banghwa L Casado

This study examined public stigma associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) among Korean Americans and identified factors affecting their public stigma. Data used in the study were collected using a cross-sectional survey with 268 Korean Americans. Guided by attribution theory, different domains of public stigma were assessed: pity, antipathy, and social distance. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to examine the effects of sociodemographic characteristics, exposure to AD, social networking, and AD knowledge on each stigma domain. The influence of emotional attributions (pity and antipathy) on behavioral attributions (social distance) in the stigma process suggested in attribution theory was also examined. Results show that pity is most prevalent followed by social distance and antipathy. Being more proficient in English, knowing fewer relatives/friends with AD, and knowing less about AD risk factors are associated with having more pity stigma. Being less socially engaged and knowing less about AD risk factors are related to having more antipathy stigma. Being younger and more proficient in English and having stronger antipathy stigma are associated with having more social distance stigma. Findings reveal multifaceted nature of public stigma associated with AD in Korean Americans and suggest that we need to work on both positive and negative sides of public stigma for stigma change. Findings of different factors associated with each public stigma domain can be considered when trying to foster and/or reduce certain stigmatic beliefs and behaviors associated with AD.


2012 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
K Mostert-Wentzel ◽  
LJ Masenyetse ◽  
N Dinat ◽  
A Botha ◽  
LD Jonkers ◽  
...  

How do physiotherapists in Gauteng Province,who are members of the South African Society of Physiotherapy(SASP), view social responsibility?A cross-sectional survey was conducted after ethics approval.All 1 098 Gauteng members of the SASP were invited via a thirdpartye-mail to reach the a priori minimum sample size of 97. Theweb-based questionnaire was developed from literature, an earlierSASP survey and a position paper of the American Physical TherapyAssociation (APTA). Five experts validated the instrument.The Likert scale scores indicating agreement with indicatorsof social responsibility were totalled to form a composite socialresponsibility score. The chi-square test for independence was used to determine associations between the categorisedcomposite social responsibility score and categorical variables. Mean difference of continuous variables betweenthe categorised core for two groups were tested using the two-sample t-test. All variables with a P-value less than0.05 were included in the logistic regression analysis to investigate predictors of the necessity of social responsibility.The survey was completed by 163 participants. Of the sample, 96.9% viewed social responsibility as important.Subjects agreed most with “advocating for the health needs of society” (74,2%) and the least with “political activism”(6.1%). Compulsory community service positively influenced 74.6%.Most physiotherapists in the study viewed social responsibility as important and were involved in volunteering.There is scope to broaden the understanding among physiotherapists of what social responsibility entails.


2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emanuele Scafato ◽  
◽  
Claudia Gandin ◽  
Gino Farchi ◽  
Pasquale Abete ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 330-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cezar Grontowski Ribeiro ◽  
Fátima Ferretti ◽  
Clodoaldo Antônio de Sá

Abstract Objective: To analyze quality of life (QOL) according to level of physical activity among elderly persons living in rural (RA) and urban (UA) areas. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study, analyzing 358 elderly residents of RA and 139 of UA, in the municipal region of Palmas, Paraná, Brazil was performed. Quality of life, level of physical activity and economic condition were evaluated. For the analysis of the continuous variables, the student’s t-test or the Mann-Whitney test were used, based on the normality or otherwise of the data. Pearson's chi-squared or Fischer’s exact test were used to analyze the categorical variables. Results: The general perception of QOL reported in RA was better than in UA (p<0.05). The analysis of the level of physical activity according to place of residence showed that the elderly are more physically active in RA (p<0.05), whereas insufficiently active or sedentary subjects prevail in UA. The variables age and gender were not associated with QOL (p>0.05), irrespective of place of residence, and active elderly persons had better QOL scores than insufficiently active or sedentary individuals, again irrespective of place of residence (p<0.05). Conclusion: The present study provides evidence that QOL is positively influenced by both maintaining satisfactory levels of physical activity and by residing in RA. It is important to establish public policies aimed at ensuring a more active and independent old age, thus generating greater health and quality of life.


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