Risk, worry and motivation: How is public knowledge of dementia shaped?

Background and Objectives Due to the concern over global rising rates of dementia, increased emphasis has been placed on understanding and moulding the public’s knowledge and awareness of the condition. There has been limited previous research into predictors of dementia knowledge; overall knowledge amongst the public is low, and it has been widely agreed that more needs to be done to raise awareness of this condition. This study seeks to solidify understanding of public dementia knowledge and introduces dementia worry, motivation to seek information and risk perception as novel concomitants of this knowledge. Research Design and Methods A convenience sample of 311 UK adults completed a survey on dementia knowledge including Alzheimer’s disease-specific questions, worry about developing dementia, motivation to seek information and perceived personal risk of getting the disease. Surveys were completed face-to-face and included both closed and open-ended questions. Results Overall dementia knowledge scores were low, achieving an average of 33% of the total possible score, with 88% of the sample scoring below 50%. Bivariate correlations were performed between dementia knowledge and key variables, revealing significant positive relationships with risk perception ( r = 0.179, p = .002), worry ( r = 0.140, p = .016) and motivation to seek information ( r = 0.139, p = .016). When knowledge was dichotomised into high and low, worry about ( p = .28) and perceived risk ( p = .19) of dementia was significantly lower for people with low knowledge scores than for people with higher dementia knowledge scores. Motivation to seek information was not significantly different between the high and low knowledge groups ( p = .071). Discussion and Implications Despite the relatively low knowledge scores, findings show a positive relationship between modifiable factors and dementia knowledge, suggesting areas to consider for both further research and publication campaigns. Further implications and limitations of this study are discussed.

Factors Associated With Dementia Knowledge and Dementia Worry in the South Korean Elderly Population

Objective South Korea is one of the countries with a very fast aging rate, and the prevalence of dementia is rapidly increasing. However, there are relatively few studies pertaining to sociodemographic and physical health-related factors associated with dementia knowledge and dementia worry.Methods This was a cross-sectional survey of a community in Seocho-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Overall, 1,869 adults aged 60 years participated. Participants completed an online interview or face-to-face interview. Survey data comprised self-report questions including dementia knowledge, dementia worry, demographic, psychological, exercise, and cognitive activities. We conducted logistic regression analysis.Results There was a significant positive association between dementia worry and knowledge. Family history of dementia, education, income, sleep problems, depressed mood and loss of volition, chronic diseases, and presence of a past job were associated with dementia knowledge or worry. Reading, art, or social cognitive activities had a significant positive association with dementia knowledge, and writing or musical cognitive activities had a negative association with dementia worry.Conclusion We found that people with more dementia knowledge and less dementia worry engaged more in cognitive activities that could prevent dementia. Public education should be planned to improve dementia knowledge and reduce dementia worry.

Dementia literacy and worry among older Chinese Americans in Arizona: a comparison between 2013 and 2017

Objectives: This study examined the change in dementia literacy and dementia worry over a 5-year span among older Chinese Americans living in Arizona. Design, setting, participants, and measurement: This study used survey data collected among a purposive sample of 703 community-dwelling Chinese Americans aged 55 years or older living in the metropolitan areas of Phoenix, Arizona, from 2013 to 2017. The average age of participants was 73.1 (SD = 8.7) and 64.2% were female. Dementia literacy was measured by dementia knowledge (knowledge about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia) and dementia beliefs (biased attitude toward dementia). Dementia worry was measured by assessing participants’ fear toward and concerns of developing dementia. Results: Regression analyses found dementia knowledge decreased (p < 0.05) and dementia beliefs remained unchanged (p > 0.05) from 2013 to 2017 among participants. Dementia worry only increased among those who lived alone. Significant correlates of dementia worry included low formal education level, depressive symptoms, and family conflict. Conclusions: Public health education targeting older Chinese Americans should aim to enhance dementia knowledge and to rectify their biased attitudes toward dementia. Psychosocial education or counseling should be available to older Chinese Americans who present dementia worry, particularly for those who live alone. More studies using diverse study designs, such as a longitudinal design, are needed to examine change in dementia literacy and worry among this population.

A-22 Effect of Dementia Experience on the Relationship between Subjective Cognitive Decline, Illness Perceptions, and Dementia Worry

Objective Dementia worry (DW) is anxious rumination about personal risk for dementia and may be related to subjective cognitive decline (SCD). Personal experience with dementia may affect DW. Another possibly related factor is illness perceptions, or beliefs about illness which can influence health outcomes. We examined whether SCD and illness perceptions, specifically personal and treatment controllability, predicted DW, and whether dementia experience moderated these effects. Method Ohioans (≥50 years old) completed an online survey. 60 participants reported no personal dementia experience. 100 participants endorsed having a biological relative with dementia. Illness perceptions were measured with a modified Illness Perception Questionnaire focused on cognitive decline. DW was measured with the Dementia Worry Scale and SCD was measured with the Cognitive Function Questionnaire (CFQ). Results In those with no dementia experience, SCD interacted with personal controllability (p = 0.016) and treatment controllability (p = 0.011) to predict DW. SCD and DW were related only in those with high belief that dementia is not personally (p = 0.018) or professionally controllable (0.002). However, in those with dementia experience, there were main effects for SCD (p &lt; 0.001) and treatment controllability (p = 0.006), but no significant interaction. Conclusions Dementia experience and illness perceptions (personal and treatment control) are important factors to consider in the relationship of SCD to DW. Results highlight the importance of illness perceptions and personal dementia experience in health seeking behaviors. Future research should investigate level and frequency of experience in relation to illness perceptions, and examine how educational programs about dementia may influence illness perceptions and DW.

A 2-Study Psychometric Evaluation of the Modified Dementia Worry Scale

A modified version of the Dementia Worry Scale (DWS) used the terminology “Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias” (versus the DWS’ use of “dementia”). Two studies investigated psychometric properties of the modified DWS (MDWS). Study 1 compared the psychometric properties of the DWS and MDWS; both versions had single factor structures and exhibited excellent internal consistency (αs ≥ .95). The MDWS exhibited greater test-retest reliability after a 4-week interval (DWS r = .68; MDWS r = .90). In Study 2, the MDWS again displayed a single factor structure, excellent internal consistency (α = .95), and good test-retest reliability after an 8-week interval (r = .78). Additionally, results support convergent validity between the MDWS and fear of dementia, subjective memory, general anxiety, health anxiety, and neuroticism. The MDWS is psychometrically consistent with the DWS, maintains strong test-retest reliability, and is appropriate for use in cross-sectional and longitudinal research.

Dementia-Related Anxiety and General Illness Anxiety Differ Based on Familial Exposure to Persons With Dementia

Dementia-related anxiety is a specific form of illness anxiety that has been associated with familial exposure to persons with dementia (FMwDs). However, it is unknown whether FMwDs is specifically associated with dementia-related anxiety or whether it is also related to general illness anxiety, which has broader health implications. Furthermore, the level of exposure to family members with dementia may matter. Thus, we examined whether level of familial exposure to dementia was related to general illness anxiety and dementia-related anxiety. Participants (N = 401) aged 18-76 years (M = 39) recruited through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk completed an online survey. Dementia exposure was split into three levels: (1) not knowing a friend/family member with dementia (55.2%); (2) knowing a family member with dementia (33.9%); and (3) providing care for a family member with dementia (10.9%). Familial exposure to dementia was related to both general illness anxiety and dementia-related anxiety. Participants who provided care for FMwDs had significantly higher levels of illness anxiety than both people who had a FMwD and people who did not (ps &lt; .001). Similarly, participants who provided care for FMwDs had significantly higher levels of dementia-related anxiety than participants who did not have a FMwD (p &lt; .01). Caregivers play a critical role in the quality of life of those with dementia, however it is clear that the potential psychological impact of such work is pervasive. This study provides a foundation to explore differences between illness anxiety and dementia worry, and examine interventions to reduce anxiety among caregivers.

The Effects of Dementia Knowledge on Dementia Worry, Attitudes, Social Comfort, and Affect

Previous work has demonstrated that personhood-based knowledge of dementia is associated with less fear of dementia and greater social comfort with persons with dementia. Nonetheless, a causal link has not been tested. We examined the effects of types of dementia knowledge on dementia worry, fear, and social comfort, as well as affect more broadly and attitudes toward dementia, which have not previously been examined. Participants (N = 338) aged 19-78 (M = 44.82, SD = 16.66) were randomized into one of five experimental conditions: biomedical-knowledge (BK; read biological and medical facts about dementia); personhood-based knowledge (PBK; read accounts written by persons living with dementia); both BK and PBK; baseline control; and active control. Participants then completed outcome measures. Significant effects of knowledge on dementia worry (p &lt; .05) as well as personal distress, empathic concern, and negative affect (ps &lt; .001) emerged; groups did not significantly differ in attitudes, comfort, or dementia fear. Specifically, participants in the BK and PBK conditions exhibited significantly higher levels of personal distress than those in the control conditions. Similarly, participants in the PBK condition had significantly higher levels of negative affect than those in the control conditions and significantly higher levels of dementia worry than those in the baseline control condition. Participants in the PBK condition also had significantly higher levels of empathic concern than those in the biomedical knowledge and control conditions. Results suggest that although reading about dementia induces negative affect, it also induces empathic concern.