Knowledge, Awareness, and Attitude Towards Dementia Amongst Medical Undergraduate Students

Abstract

Background: Current undergraduate medical academic curriculum does not emphasize on evaluation and management of dementia. The knowledge and attitude of medical students towards patients with dementia in India has not been ascertained previously. Objective: We aimed to assess the knowledge and attitude of final year medical students about dementia and Alzheimer's disease. We also aimed to assess if a dedicated sensitization cum teaching session by a group of interns doctors guided by a neurologist could help improve students’ knowledge and awareness towards dementia or not. Methods and Materials: 82 consenting final year medical students answered questionnaires of Alzheimer Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS) and Dementia Attitude Scale (DAS) at a baseline level. A sensitization cum teaching session by intern doctors was conducted to enhance students’ knowledge about dementia. A post sensitization reassessment of students was done to assess impact of the session. Results: The ADKS score was 57% at baseline which was increased to 71% post sensitization program. The mean DAS score was 3.2 at baseline which was reported to be 3.4 after sensitization program. Students reported significant improvement in their knowledge level but did not show the same improvement in their attitude and comfort level in caring for dementia after the sensitization program. Students were still not comfortable dealing with patients with dementia. Conclusion: Medical students lack significant knowledge and training about dementia. Patient contact and practical training for basic assessment and care of dementia needs to be incorporated in the current academic curriculum. Dedicated sensitization sessions on dementia care can help improve the gap. Practical exposure to management of patients with dementia would be required to enhance the comfort level and attitude of students towards dementia.

Knowledge of Alzheimer’s disease and associated factors among adults in Zhuhai, China: a cross-sectional analysis

“…Although individuals with higher education might have better comprehension skills for understanding complex health issues, our data suggest that education level does not directly impact AD awareness [ 46 ]. Similarly, our research revealed no notable link between marital status and levels of AD knowledge, consistent with previous studies [ 47 – 49 ]. In contrast, a study conducted in Northern Ireland found a significant association between marital status and AD knowledge levels, potentially influenced by the age demographics of the participants [ 36 ].…”

Proposing a communication module to enhance dental students' attitudes towards people with dementia: Phase 1 of a curriculum revision study

“…Based on the results of the questionnaire and the relevant literature, 27,[31][32][33][34][35][36][37] a communication module will be designed to enhance dental students' attitudes towards people with dementia. The module's content will include an overview of dementia and its prevalence, its impact on dental care, common challenges in communication with dementia patients, effective communication strategies and the importance of empathy and person-centred care in managing patients with dementia.…”

Pathways to care for people with dementia in India: An exploratory study using case vignettes

“…However, this lack of awareness is not limited to general public. A study conducted in a medical college in the state of Gujarat reported that only 49% of undergraduate medical students were aware of dementia symptoms (Patel et al, 2021). This is more concerning as the mean age at presentation of dementia is also lower in the Indian context (Das et al, 2012) and young-onset dementia in particular is more likely to be associated with delays in diagnosis (Mukku et al, 2019) as also demonstrated in one vignette scenario (e.g.…”

“…Mr Gautam vignette (STRiDE India, 2022)) . Therefore, poor awareness among GPs further contributes to diagnostic delays as highlighted in several case vignettes; this can be attributed to the significant lack of emphasis of dementia in the undergraduate medical curriculum (Patel et al, 2021).…”