Correlates of family caregivers' knowledge about Alzheimer's disease

Knowledge of Alzheimer's Disease Among Family Caregivers

“…Family caregivers tend to have difficulty knowing the difference between memory problems that come with normal aging and memory problems that are indicative of Alzheimer's [14]. Werner [5] found that family caregivers had a low level of overall knowledge about the disease and that they were the least knowledgeable about the symptoms of the disease, causes, and prevalence. However, in a different study, Werner [14] found that the majority of participants were able to correctly identify symptoms.…”

“…However, many of these family caregivers may have inadequate knowledge about the disease. Researchers find that families have a need for general information about Alzheimer's, such as the characteristics and stages, diagnosis, and treatments [5,8,9]. Many family caregivers, like the general population, erroneously believe that memory loss and memory disorders are part of the normal aging process [9].…”

“…Lower education has been correlated with lower levels of knowledge about Alzheimer's disease. Higher education may give formal and family caregivers greater access to sources that facilitate learning about the disease [5,8]. In a study of four ethnic groups (White, Black, Asian, and Latino), Whites had the highest level of knowledge about Alzheimer's.…”

“…As caregiver knowledge about communication with their loved one that has Alzheimer's increases, frustration tends to decrease [13]. Wellinformed caregivers tend to be more active in their caregiving and are more comfortable making decisions on the behalf of the person for whom they are caring [5]. Caregivers who do not have adequate knowledge may have poor coping skills, may show addictive behavior, and may not be prepared to handle the increasing stress that comes as the disease progresses [10].…”

“…They do not fully understand the common characteristics, progression, symptoms, causes, or available resources [3][4][5]. When family caregivers have a higher level of knowledge they tend to exhibit less stress and burden [6,7].…”