Dementia awareness and risk perception in middle-aged and older individuals: baseline results of the MijnBreincoach survey on the association between lifestyle and brain health

Abstract

Background The total number of people with dementia is increasing worldwide, due to our aging society. Without a disease-modifying drug available, risk reduction strategies are to date the only promising way to reduce dementia incidence in the future. Substantial evidence exists that lifestyle factors contribute to the risk of dementia, such as physical exercise, mental activity and (non-)smoking. Still, most people seem unaware of a relationship between lifestyle and brain health. This paper investigates dementia literacy and knowledge of modifiable risk and protective factors of dementia in a Dutch population-based sample. Methods An online-survey was carried out among 590 community-dwelling people between 40 and 75 years old in the Province of Limburg, the Netherlands. The total group comprises both of a provincial sample ( n = 381) and a sample of three specific districts within the province ( n = 209). Dementia awareness and knowledge about 12 risk and protective factors was assessed with items derived from the British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey, supplemented with custom items developed by the research team. Results The majority of participants (56%) were unaware of a relationship between lifestyle and dementia risk. Most individuals identified low cognitive activity, physical inactivity and unhealthy diet as dementia risk factors. Particular gaps in knowledge existed with regard to major cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and coronary heart disease. Although the level of awareness varied by age and level of education, most people (70%) were eager to learn more about the topic of brain health, and indicated to be interested in using eHealth (54%) to measure or improve brain health. Conclusions Most people still are unaware of the relation between lifestyle and brain health, indicating the need for public health campaigns. Increasing awareness in the general population about the presence of modifiable dementia risk and protective factors is a crucial first step prior to implementation of preventative measures. Targeting specific subgroups, such as individuals with low socioeconomic status and low health literacy, is essential for the reach and effect of a prevention campaign. Outcome of this study was the rationale for an awareness campaign in The Netherlands, called “ MijnBreincoach ” (“MyBraincoach”). Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12889-019-7010-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Public awareness and knowledge of factors associated with dementia in China

“…A few studies conducted in China focused mainly on the recognition of prodromal symptoms of dementia [18,24]. The present results suggested that the overall understanding of factors associated with dementia among the Chinese population was more comprehensive than we initially believed based on similar studies in other countries [19,29,30]. This finding might have two explanations.…”

“…Previous studies indicated that several reasons, including concerns about the side effects, high financial burden and inadequate health literacy, might lead to poor medication adherence [34,35]. Other studies also found that people had less knowledge about the role of cardiovascular disease management in the development of dementia [19,36]. Thus, medical factors associated with the risk reduction of dementia need to be popularized in the general public.…”

Public awareness and knowledge of factors associated with dementia in China

“…A few studies that were conducted in China mainly focused on the recognition of prodromal symptoms of dementia [20,26]. The present results suggest that the overall understanding of factors that are associated with dementia among the Chinese population is more comprehensive than we initially believed based on similar studies in other countries [21,28,29]. This finding may have two explanations.…”

“…Moreover, medication refusal is common in the general population [33], and people are often more concerned about the side effects of antihypertensive and hypolipidemic drugs than their beneficial effects [34]. Other studies also found that people had less knowledge about the role of cardiovascular disease management in the development of dementia [21,35]. Thus, medical factors that are associated with the prevention of dementia need to be popularized in the general public.…”

“…For example, a systematic review assessed knowledge and attitudes about dementia prevention and treatment and found that public knowledge about the modifiable nature of dementia prevention remained inadequate, although this situation might improve over time [20]. A recent survey from the Netherlands showed that the majority of communitydwelling people were unaware of the relationship between lifestyle and brain health [21]. Most investigations of knowledge and attitudes about dementia prevention have been conducted in highincome countries.…”