Hudson, John and Pollux, Petra and Mistry, Bejal and Hobson, Sara (2012) Beliefs about Alzheimer's disease in Britain. Aging and Mental Health, 16 (7). pp. 828-835. ISSN 1360-7863

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Abstract

Objectives: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) represents one of the most debilitating conditions affecting the elderly. Despite the prevalence and consequences of AD, surveys have revealed that the general public in North America and Australia hold numerous misconceptions of the disease. The aim of this study was to examine whether misconceptions of AD are also endorsed by adults in Britain. Method: The Alzheimer’s disease knowledge scale (ADKS) was completed by 312 adults residing in Lincolnshire, UK. The ADKS contains 30 true or false statements pertaining to risk factors, assessment and diagnosis, symptoms, course, life impact, caregiving, and treatment and management of AD. Results: Regardless of age, education, and familiarity with AD, respondents in this survey demonstrated a good understanding (80% mean correct) of some items from all categories. However, knowledge gaps exist about the course of the disease, and of conditions that can exacerbate (inadequate nutrition) or simulate (depression) the symptoms of AD. Moreover, a large proportion of respondents (75%) are unaware that hypertension or hypercholesterolemia may increase ones predisposition to developing AD. Conclusion: Respondents revealed knowledge gaps pertaining to conditions that masquerade as AD, increase ones vulnerability to AD, and exacerbate AD symtomatology. Educational campaigns that specifically target these issues may help reduce the impact of AD.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Alzheimer’s disease knowledge scale, knowledge, Misconceptions, ref04, refdoi
Subjects:	C Biological Sciences > C800 Psychology C Biological Sciences > C850 Cognitive Psychology C Biological Sciences > C860 Neuropsychology
Divisions:	College of Social Sciences > Faculty of Health & Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User:	Alison Wilson
Date Deposited:	16 Mar 2012 16:57
Last Modified:	17 May 2013 14:51
URI:	http://eprints.lincoln.ac.uk/id/eprint/4950

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