Comparison of knowledge of and attitudes toward dementia between health-related and non-health-related university students

Knowledge and Attitudes toward Dementia among Undergraduate Health Professional Students in China: A Cross-Sectional Survey

PhenomenonDementia is a huge burden to the economic and health care system in China. As the next generation of health care providers, undergraduate health professional students play a pivotal role in caring for dementia patients during their clinical placements and in independent practice. Nevertheless, they may not be adequately prepared to care for patients with dementia by their undergraduate programs. Measuring the knowledge and attitudes of health professional students could be an important step in providing evidence regarding the need to enhance dementia care training in the curriculum. Approach: Responses from 325 Chinese health professional (nursing, medical, and public health) students were included in the analyses. After providing informed consent, students answered questionnaires including a demographic data questionnaire, the Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS) and the Dementia Attitudes Scale (DAS). Univariate analyses were performed to test the association between outcomes and potential explanatory variables. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the predictive factors for knowledge and attitudes toward dementia. Findings: Chinese health professional students had a mean ADKS score of 18.92 (SD = 3.20). Better knowledge was associated with advanced education, having family members with medical knowledge, having heard of dementia, and having interest in learning about dementia. Students had a mean DAS score of 89.10 (SD = 8.93), and their attitudes were significantly associated with majoring in public health and having heard of dementia. Students' knowledge was positively, but weakly related with attitudes (r = 0.122, P = 0.028). Insights: Chinese undergraduate health professional students demonstrate insufficient knowledge and less positive attitudes toward dementia than their counterparts in developed countries. Enhanced dementia care-specific curriculum and training are urgently needed in China to meet the growing demand for dementia care services.

Effect of Dementia Training on Knowledge and Attitude Among Long-Term Care Staff in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

BACKGROUND: The number of patients with dementia has increased globally. Caring for these patients is very challenging and demanding. There are many patients with dementia in long-term care facilities in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. However, most staff members do not have proper training regarding how to care for patients with dementia. AIM: This research aimed to investigate the effect of dementia care skills training on knowledge and attitudes about dementia among long-term care staff in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. METHODS: A pre-experimental study was conducted using a one-group pre-test and post-test method. There were 30 staff members in a long-term care facility in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, who participated in this study in July 2019. Training given was the Dementia Care Skills 18 h version for care workers provided by Alzheimer’s Indonesia by two certified trainers. Outcomes measured were knowledge and attitudes of the participants, which were measured using the Dementia Knowledge Assessment Scale and Dementia Attitude Scale. Data were analyzed using paired and independent t-tests as well as Pearson correlation tests. RESULTS: The results showed that staff knowledge of dementia (t = 4.78, p = 0.000) and attitudes toward persons with dementia (t = 3.27, p = 0.003) were improved significantly after the dementia training provided by the Alzheimer’s Indonesia trainers. CONCLUSIONS: Training in dementia care can improve knowledge and attitude of long-term care staff. This study recommends that dementia care skills training be provided for staff and nurses in long-term care to improve their knowledge and attitudes regarding patients with dementia and their care.

College students' and community members' attitudes toward dementia: The impact of dementia friends sessions

Background: Negative attitudes toward dementia can delay care and diagnosis, increase social isolation, and limit recognition of the positive attributes of people living with dementia. The purpose of this project was to explore whether Dementia Friends sessions affected attitudes toward people living with dementia. Dementia Friends is a program which includes basic information about dementia that was developed by the Alzheimer's Society in the United Kingdom and is now offered in the United States. Participants: For this study, 101 adults ages 18 years and older were recruited from local universities and the surrounding community in northern Minnesota. The participants were asked to participate in a one-hour Dementia Friends information session and complete the Dementia Attitudes Scale (DAS) immediately before and after the session. The sample was divided into two sectors (university student or non-student). Results: Eighty participants completed the DAS, and statistically significant positive changes occurred in pre and posttest scores. Both social comfort and dementia knowledge, the two factors measured by the DAS, showed statistically significant positive increases. No correlations were observed between the mean score change and age or sector. Implications: These findings suggest that participation in Dementia Friends information sessions can positively affect participants' attitudes toward dementia.

Comparison of attitudes towards persons with dementia, knowledge of dementia and ageism amongst students in Taiwan and Japan: A cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to compare the attitudes towards people with dementia, knowledge of dementia and ageism amongst Taiwanese and Japanese dental hygiene students.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 328 students participated in this cross-sectional study. Attitudes, knowledge and ageism were assessed using self-reports. Participants' association with older adults or persons with dementia was also assessed. Primary outcomes included attitude, knowledge and ageism amongst students. Secondary outcomes were the factors related to their desire to work with persons with dementia.

RESULTS

Data of 175 Taiwanese and 91 Japanese students were analysed. There were significantly more Japanese (69.2%) than Taiwanese (33.2%) students without experience of cohabitation with older adults. More Taiwanese (45.1%) than Japanese students (30.8%) gave a neutral answer regarding their desire to work with persons with dementia. Japanese students scored significantly higher on the attitude and ageism scales than did Taiwanese students; however, the scores of knowledge assessment were approximately the same. Attitude or ageism did not correlate with knowledge amongst students from either country. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the desire to work with persons having dementia was related to ageism and the relationship with these people, irrespective of country.

CONCLUSION

Although the students had comparable levels of knowledge, there existed significant difference in the attitudes and the degree of ageism between students from Taiwan vs Japan. This finding may prompt improvement of education on dementia, where differences in nationality and lifestyle, including the rate of ageing and family structure, are taken into consideration.

Effects of attachment to and participation in the community on motivation to participate in dementia prevention and support activities: analysis of Web survey data

AIM

The objective of this study was to elucidate the effects of a sense of attachment to the community (attachment) and participation in community activities (participation) on motivation to participate in dementia prevention and support activities (motivation).

METHODS

We conducted a nationwide Web-based questionnaire survey of 1693 men and women aged ≥20 years. The questionnaire items used in the analysis asked about the following: (i) demographic characteristics (i.e. gender, age, marital status, household income (monitor-registered data), elderly family members, number of years of residency); (ii) attachment; (iii) participation; (iv) self-assessment of dementia knowledge; (v) nursing care experience; (vi) contact with individuals with dementia; (vii) attitudes towards dementia and people with dementia; and (viii) motivation.

RESULTS

Positivity towards dementia and negativity towards dementia were extracted as factors in exploratory factor analysis of attitudes towards dementia and people with dementia. Multiple regression analysis with extracted factors as dependent variables showed that attachment and participation exerted positive effects on attitudes towards dementia (both P < 0.001). The direct effects of attachment and participation on motivation were significant in hierarchical multiple regression analysis (both P < 0.001), and path analysis demonstrated the paths of the effects of attachment and participation on motivation (both P < 0.001). The bias-corrected bootstrap method showed that both attachment and participation exerted direct and indirect (via the mediation of attitudes towards dementia) effects on motivation to participate in the community (all P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The results showed that attachment and participation were both determinants of positive attitudes towards dementia and, thus, exerted effects on motivation, both directly and indirectly. These findings suggested that the enhancement of attachment and promotion of participation could lead to the promotion of dementia prevention and support activities in communities and increase dementia awareness.

Attitudes of Students from the High Medical College of Professional Studies and Nurses Towards People Suffering from Dementia

Dementia is characterized by a progressive decrease in cognitive functions, and the term includes different etiologies. Cognitive decline includes loss of memory and deterioration in executive functions, such as planning and organizing skills, sufficient to influence social activities. The aim of this study was to examine and compare the attitudes (knowledge, emotions and behaviour) of students at the High Medical College of Professional Studies and nurses towards people suffering from dementia. The study was designed as a qualitative study with the use of a questionnaire. The Dementia Attitudes Scale (DAS) was used in our study. A total of 283 respondents answered the survey: 56.25% were students, and 43.75% were nurses. The internal consistency of the DAS was found to be good with a Cronbach’s α of 0.792. In the overall score for attitudes, a significant difference was found between students (100.47±10.91) and nurses (95.51±16.10). The students had a better score regarding questions describing their behaviour towards these individuals (p<0.001) and emotions for these patients (p<0.001). For knowledge, there was no difference between the two groups of subjects (p=0.901). Regarding the overall score, attitudes of students and nurses towards people with dementia were positive. This research suggested that the training of senior team members who then had dementia expertise was a key component in developing attitudes and improving care practices and outcomes for these patients. Continuous education of all medical staff who have contact with people who suffer from dementia is important.