Dementia knowledge and associated demographic factors within a registry sample

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundResearch on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias is increasingly focused on prevention and identification of risk factors. In order to effectively disseminate knowledge about dementia risk, there is need to understand gaps in dementia knowledge (Carpenter et al., 2011, Cations et al., 2018). For example, education level, among other factors, may be associated with reduced knowledge about AD, which could impact engagement in early prevention strategies (Ayalon & Arean, 2004). We explored dementia knowledge and demographic variables in a community‐based registry sample to inform approaches to psychoeducation and intervention.MethodWe administered surveys via REDCap to participants enrolled in an online registry. Surveys included measures of dementia knowledge (subset of 13 questions from the Dementia Knowledge Assessment Scale (DKAS)), personality (Ten‐Item Personality Inventory), and demographic variables. Response rate was 42%. Participants were 292 clinically normal adults (mean age=67.4 (range: 50‐87); 65% women; 98% non‐Hispanic or Latino; 94% Caucasian; 81% with a bachelor’s degree or higher).ResultMost participants (77%) reported knowing “some” to “a good amount” about dementia, learned primarily via family/friends (27%), doctors (21%), and the internet (22%). Mean dementia knowledge on the DKAS was 14.4 (range=1‐26, out of 26 possible points). Dementia knowledge was weakly associated with age (r=‐.12, p=.045), with younger individuals showing higher knowledge. Controlling for age, self‐reported dementia knowledge correlated with objective dementia knowledge on the DKAS (r=.46, p<.01). Also controlling for age, dementia knowledge was higher among individuals with more education (F(1, 287)=8.6, p=.004) and among women (F(1, 285)=5.9, p=.016). Dementia knowledge was not associated with aspects of personality (ps>.08).ConclusionDementia knowledge was higher among younger individuals, as well as those with more education and among women, but did not relate to personality. Self‐reported dementia knowledge correlated with objective dementia knowledge, suggesting that participants accurately judged their own knowledge. Future work should examine these questions within a more diverse registry sample. Findings underscore the value of registries to examine dementia knowledge and inform dissemination and intervention strategies. By increasing psychoeducation about dementia among adults with lower baseline knowledge, we may facilitate early engagement in preventative strategies to reduce dementia risk.