Factors associated with public knowledge of and attitudes to dementia: A cross-sectional study.
<h4>Introduction</h4>Dementia is a major public health concern but one that continues to be stigmatised. We examine lay knowledge of dementia and attitudes to people with dementia as potential precursors of public anxiety, focusing on the social characteristics associated with (a) the fo...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2019-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0210543 |
| _version_ | 1819112651377082368 |
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| author | Michael Rosato Gerard Leavey Janine Cooper Paul De Cock Paula Devine |
| author_facet | Michael Rosato Gerard Leavey Janine Cooper Paul De Cock Paula Devine |
| author_sort | Michael Rosato |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <h4>Introduction</h4>Dementia is a major public health concern but one that continues to be stigmatised. We examine lay knowledge of dementia and attitudes to people with dementia as potential precursors of public anxiety, focusing on the social characteristics associated with (a) the formation of these attitudes, and (b) the perception of the need for restriction and control for people with dementia.<h4>Methods</h4>Analysis of the 2014 Northern Ireland Life and Times survey, which included questions on knowledge of, attitudes to and personal experience with dementia. We used (a) latent class analysis and (b) logistic regression to examine factors associated with respondent attitudes towards dementia.<h4>Results</h4>Respondents (n = 1211) had relatively good general knowledge of dementia, but limited knowledge of specific risk factors. Negative perceptions of dementia were mitigated somewhat by personal contact. A high proportion of respondents felt that high levels of control were appropriate for people diagnosed with dementia, even at early stages of the disease.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Personal antipathy to dementia was highly prevalent despite ongoing public campaigns to increase public awareness of developments in its prevention, treatment and consequent care pathways and hampering efforts to widen social inclusion. Fresh thinking and more resources may be needed to challenge persisting common misapprehension of the condition and the formation of entrenched stigma. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T04:16:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-211f704a0cb146ff9cc116a37c32b0f0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T04:16:54Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-211f704a0cb146ff9cc116a37c32b0f02022-12-21T18:39:23ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032019-01-01142e021054310.1371/journal.pone.0210543Factors associated with public knowledge of and attitudes to dementia: A cross-sectional study.Michael RosatoGerard LeaveyJanine CooperPaul De CockPaula Devine<h4>Introduction</h4>Dementia is a major public health concern but one that continues to be stigmatised. We examine lay knowledge of dementia and attitudes to people with dementia as potential precursors of public anxiety, focusing on the social characteristics associated with (a) the formation of these attitudes, and (b) the perception of the need for restriction and control for people with dementia.<h4>Methods</h4>Analysis of the 2014 Northern Ireland Life and Times survey, which included questions on knowledge of, attitudes to and personal experience with dementia. We used (a) latent class analysis and (b) logistic regression to examine factors associated with respondent attitudes towards dementia.<h4>Results</h4>Respondents (n = 1211) had relatively good general knowledge of dementia, but limited knowledge of specific risk factors. Negative perceptions of dementia were mitigated somewhat by personal contact. A high proportion of respondents felt that high levels of control were appropriate for people diagnosed with dementia, even at early stages of the disease.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Personal antipathy to dementia was highly prevalent despite ongoing public campaigns to increase public awareness of developments in its prevention, treatment and consequent care pathways and hampering efforts to widen social inclusion. Fresh thinking and more resources may be needed to challenge persisting common misapprehension of the condition and the formation of entrenched stigma.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0210543 |
| spellingShingle | Michael Rosato Gerard Leavey Janine Cooper Paul De Cock Paula Devine Factors associated with public knowledge of and attitudes to dementia: A cross-sectional study. PLoS ONE |
| title | Factors associated with public knowledge of and attitudes to dementia: A cross-sectional study. |
| title_full | Factors associated with public knowledge of and attitudes to dementia: A cross-sectional study. |
| title_fullStr | Factors associated with public knowledge of and attitudes to dementia: A cross-sectional study. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Factors associated with public knowledge of and attitudes to dementia: A cross-sectional study. |
| title_short | Factors associated with public knowledge of and attitudes to dementia: A cross-sectional study. |
| title_sort | factors associated with public knowledge of and attitudes to dementia a cross sectional study |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0210543 |
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