Dementia caregiving in Nigeria: is stigma a motivator for care, a barrier to care, or both?

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundSome Nigerians struggle to make sense of symptoms resulting from Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). This may not be surprising as there is no word for dementia in its over 500 local languages. Thus, some Nigerians use words to explain ADRD symptoms that may stigmatize people living with dementia and their families.MethodOur qualitative descriptive study while focusing on the everyday understanding of dementia, aims to highlight the influence of stigma on the caregiving experiences of informal female Nigerian dementia caregivers. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 12 adult informal female caregivers in Nigeria. We analyzed the interview transcripts for themes. Then, the findings were shared with focus groups of 21 adult Nigerians residing in the United States to gain more contextual insight on the initial findings.ResultThe three major themes identified in the study include: 1) misconceptions about ADRD symptoms, 2) stigma as a negative motivator, and 3) stigma weakens family support.ConclusionOverall, we argue that a combination of limited ADRD knowledge and awareness, and traditional beliefs drive ADRD‐related stigmatization. This consequently affects access to caregiving and family support. Strategies such as culturally appropriate ADRD awareness campaigns and formal long‐term care policies are urgently needed. These would help reduce the risk of ADRD‐stigmatization and strengthen informal dementia caregiving in Nigeria.