Public awareness of dementia: A study in Botucatu, a medium-sized city in the State of São Paulo, Brazil

Schelp, Arthur Oscar; Nieri, Andrea Bruno; Hamamoto Filho, Pedro Tadao; Bales, Alessandra Martins; Mendes-Chiloff, Cristiane Lara

doi:10.1590/S1980-57642009DN20300005

Abstract

Dementia is a progressive and debilitating disease affecting an increasing number of people worldwide. Despite its importance, only a few studies have examined public awareness of dementia. We present a study of the public awareness of dementia in Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.

Methods: A sample of 73 individuals answered a questionnaire approved by the Medical Ethics Research Committee inquiring about the characteristics of healthy old-aged and demented individuals.

Results: Those interviewed believed that dementia is characterized by prevalent memory impairment (41%) and behavioral changes (32.9%) with onset in the 60's or older (42.5%) and upon suspecting dementia, only a few would seek specialized medical help.

Discussion: Better understanding of public awareness of dementia provides the clue to more effective health and social policies in order to achieve a higher rate of early diagnosis and thereby possibly decreasing patient, family and caregiver distress.

Key words:
dementia; Alzheimer's disease; elderly population; public awareness.

Resumo

Demência é uma síndrome progressiva e inabilitante que afeta um número crescente de pessoas ao redor do mundo. A despeito de sua importância, poucos estudos tem examinado a conhecimento público sobre demência.

Objetivo: Apresentar um estudo sobre o conhecimento sobre demência em Botucatu, São Paulo, Brasil.

Métodos: Uma amostra de 73 indivíduos responderam a um questionário, aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa Médica, a respeito das características de indivíduos idosos sadios e pessoas com demência.

Resultados: Os sujeitos entrevistados acreditavam que a demência se caracteriza por uma prevalente perda de memória (41%) e alterações comportamentais (32.9%) com início aos 60 anos ou mais (42.5%) e, e no caso de suspeita de demência, somente poucos procurariam ajuda médica especializada.

Discussão: Melhor compreensão do conhecimento público sobre demência fornece pistas para políticas sociais e de saúde mais efetivas a fim de atingir um índice mais alto de diagnóstico precoce e possivelmente diminuir o desgaste do paciente, da família e dos cuidadores.

Palavras-chave:
demência; doença de Alzheimer; população idosa; percepção pública.

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References

¹ Grahan N, Brodaty H. Alzheimer's Disease International. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 1997;12:691-692.
² Prince M, Livingston G, Kantona C. Mental health care for the elderly in low-income countries: a health systems approach. World Psychiatry 2007;6:5-13.
³ Piechniczek-Buczek J, Riordan ME, Volicer L. Family member perception of quality of their visits with relatives with dementia: a pilot study. J Am Med Dir Assoc 2007;8:166-172.
⁴ Ferri CP, Prince M, Brayne C, et al. Global prevalence of dementia: Delphi consensus study. Lancet 2005;366:2112-2117.
⁵ Herrera JE, Caramelli P, Silveira ASB, Nitrini R. Epidemiological survey of dementia in a community-dwelling Brazilian population. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord 2002;16:103-108.
⁶ Steckenrider JS . What people know about, Alzheimer's disease: A study of public knowledge. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen 1993;8:6-14.
⁷ Connell CM, Scott Roberts J, McLaughlin SJ. Public opinion about Alzheimer Disease among blacks, hispanic and whites. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord 2007;21:232-240.
⁸ Scott Roberts J, Connel CM, Cisewski D, Hipps YG, Demissie S, Green RC. Differences between african americans and whites in their perceptions of Alzheimer Disease. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord 2003;17:19-26.
⁹ Barnes LL, Schneider JA, Boyle PA, Bienias JL, Bennett DA. Memory complaints are related to Alzheimer Disease pathology in older persons. Neurology 2006;67:1581-1585.
¹⁰ Nagaratnan N, Lewis-Jones M, Scott D, et al. Behavioral and psychiatric manifestations in dementia patients in a community: caregiver burden and outcome. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord 1998;12:330-334.
¹¹ Chan DC, Kasper JD, Black BS, Rabins PV. Prevalence and correlates of behavioral symptoms in community-dwelling elders with dementia or mild cognitive impairment: the memory and Medical Care Study. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2003;18:174-182.
¹² Cruz VT, Pais J, Teixeira A, Nunes B. Sintomas iniciais de demência de Alzheimer a percepção de familiares. Acta Med Port 2004;17:435-444.
¹³ Starkstein SE, Garau ML, Cao A. Prevalence and clinical correlates of disinhibition in dementia. Cogn Behav Neurol 2004;17:139-147.
¹⁴ Ramos-Cerqueira AT, Torres AR, Crepaldi AL, et al. Identification of dementia cases in the community: a brazilian experience. J Am Geriatr Soc 2005;53:1738-1742.
¹⁵ Cohen L. Toward an anthropology of senility: anger, weakness and Alzheimer's in Banaras, India. Med Anthropol Q 1995;9:314-334.
¹⁶ Vernooij-Dassen MJ, Moniz-Cook ED, Woods RT, et al. Factors affecting timely recognition and diagnosis of dementia across Europe: from awareness to stigma. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2005;20:377-386.
¹⁷ MacRae H. Managing courtesy stigma: the case of Alzheimer's disease. Sociol Health Illn 1999;21:54-70.
¹⁸ de Mendonça Lima CA, Levav I, Jacobsson L, et al. Stigma and discrimination against older people with mental disorders in Europe. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2003;18:679-682.

Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
Jul-Sep 2008

History

Received
30 May 2007
Accepted
26 Aug 2008

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License

[1] ¹ Grahan N, Brodaty H. Alzheimer's Disease International. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 1997;12:691-692.

[2] ² Prince M, Livingston G, Kantona C. Mental health care for the elderly in low-income countries: a health systems approach. World Psychiatry 2007;6:5-13.

[3] ³ Piechniczek-Buczek J, Riordan ME, Volicer L. Family member perception of quality of their visits with relatives with dementia: a pilot study. J Am Med Dir Assoc 2007;8:166-172.

[4] ⁴ Ferri CP, Prince M, Brayne C, et al. Global prevalence of dementia: Delphi consensus study. Lancet 2005;366:2112-2117.

[5] ⁵ Herrera JE, Caramelli P, Silveira ASB, Nitrini R. Epidemiological survey of dementia in a community-dwelling Brazilian population. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord 2002;16:103-108.

[6] ⁶ Steckenrider JS . What people know about, Alzheimer's disease: A study of public knowledge. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen 1993;8:6-14.

[7] ⁷ Connell CM, Scott Roberts J, McLaughlin SJ. Public opinion about Alzheimer Disease among blacks, hispanic and whites. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord 2007;21:232-240.

[8] ⁸ Scott Roberts J, Connel CM, Cisewski D, Hipps YG, Demissie S, Green RC. Differences between african americans and whites in their perceptions of Alzheimer Disease. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord 2003;17:19-26.

[9] ⁹ Barnes LL, Schneider JA, Boyle PA, Bienias JL, Bennett DA. Memory complaints are related to Alzheimer Disease pathology in older persons. Neurology 2006;67:1581-1585.

[10] ¹⁰ Nagaratnan N, Lewis-Jones M, Scott D, et al. Behavioral and psychiatric manifestations in dementia patients in a community: caregiver burden and outcome. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord 1998;12:330-334.

[11] ¹¹ Chan DC, Kasper JD, Black BS, Rabins PV. Prevalence and correlates of behavioral symptoms in community-dwelling elders with dementia or mild cognitive impairment: the memory and Medical Care Study. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2003;18:174-182.

[12] ¹² Cruz VT, Pais J, Teixeira A, Nunes B. Sintomas iniciais de demência de Alzheimer a percepção de familiares. Acta Med Port 2004;17:435-444.

[13] ¹³ Starkstein SE, Garau ML, Cao A. Prevalence and clinical correlates of disinhibition in dementia. Cogn Behav Neurol 2004;17:139-147.

[14] ¹⁴ Ramos-Cerqueira AT, Torres AR, Crepaldi AL, et al. Identification of dementia cases in the community: a brazilian experience. J Am Geriatr Soc 2005;53:1738-1742.

[15] ¹⁵ Cohen L. Toward an anthropology of senility: anger, weakness and Alzheimer's in Banaras, India. Med Anthropol Q 1995;9:314-334.

[16] ¹⁶ Vernooij-Dassen MJ, Moniz-Cook ED, Woods RT, et al. Factors affecting timely recognition and diagnosis of dementia across Europe: from awareness to stigma. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2005;20:377-386.

[17] ¹⁷ MacRae H. Managing courtesy stigma: the case of Alzheimer's disease. Sociol Health Illn 1999;21:54-70.

[18] ¹⁸ de Mendonça Lima CA, Levav I, Jacobsson L, et al. Stigma and discrimination against older people with mental disorders in Europe. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2003;18:679-682.