The Experts’ Advice: Prevention and Responsibility in German Media and Scientific Discourses on Dementia

Petersen, Niklas; Schicktanz, Silke

doi:10.1177/10497323211014844

Cited by 15 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…Respective efforts might in turn foster acceptance of early diagnosis of the condition. On the other hand, recent studies have identified a shift in public and medical discourses about dementia, with strong focus on individual means of risk modification, running the risk of shifting responsibility for the condition one-sidedly on the individuals affected [18,19]. Over-emphasizing the potential of prevention might lead to increased fear or shame in older adults if they experience signs of cognitive decline, possibly making them more reluctant to be examined for an early diagnosis of dementia.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Short report: A trend analysis of attitudes towards early diagnosis of dementia in Germany

Zülke

Luppa

Luck

et al. 2022

Preprint

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BackgroundEarly detection of dementia provides numerous benefits for those living with dementia and their relatives and healthcare systems at large. Methods available for early diagnosis have improved significantly over the past years. Therefore, we examined whether openness towards early diagnosis for dementia and preferred sources of support have changed in Germany over the last decade.MethodWe compared findings from two representative telephone surveys conducted among older adults in Germany (≥ 60 years of age) in 2011 and 2022, assessing attitudes towards and willingness to pursue an early diagnosis of dementia in a sample of n = 879 individuals (mean age: 72.9, % female: 58.8). Group comparisons using Chi2- and t-tests and multivariable regression analyses were conducted, assessing factors linked to willingness to be examined for an early diagnosis of dementia.ResultsOpenness towards early diagnosis of dementia was high both in 2011 and 2022, but slightly declined over time (b=.62; 95% CI: .45; .86). Belief in preventability of dementia was linked to greater openness towards an early diagnosis of dementia (b=1.52; 95% CI: 1.12; 2.07).ConclusionWillingness to pursue an early diagnosis of dementia is high in the older German public, but slightly lower than reported previously. Improving knowledge on modifiable risk factors and better understanding of individual motives underlying endorsement or refusal of an early diagnosis may further increase acceptance in the general public.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Short report: A trend analysis of attitudes towards early diagnosis of dementia in Germany

Zülke

Luppa

Luck

et al. 2022

Preprint

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“…We derived 30 latent topics related to dementia from the posts by evaluating the 983,039 dementia-related Weibo posts and reviewing prior research on social media discussions of dementia [42][43][44][45][46]. Table 2 provides the 30 topics and top 10 unique keywords for each topic (a native Chinese-speaking researcher translated the words into English).…”

Section: Dementia Topics and Themesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Public Discourse and Sentiment Toward Dementia on Chinese Social Media: Machine Learning Analysis of Weibo Posts

Kong¹,

Chen²,

Zhang³

et al. 2022

J Med Internet Res

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Background Dementia is a global public health priority due to rapid growth of the aging population. As China has the world’s largest population with dementia, this debilitating disease has created tremendous challenges for older adults, family caregivers, and health care systems on the mainland nationwide. However, public awareness and knowledge of the disease remain limited in Chinese society. Objective This study examines online public discourse and sentiment toward dementia among the Chinese public on a leading Chinese social media platform Weibo. Specifically, this study aims to (1) assess and examine public discourse and sentiment toward dementia among the Chinese public, (2) determine the extent to which dementia-related discourse and sentiment vary among different user groups (ie, government, journalists/news media, scientists/experts, and the general public), and (3) characterize temporal trends in public discourse and sentiment toward dementia among different user groups in China over the past decade. Methods In total, 983,039 original dementia-related posts published by 347,599 unique users between 2010 and 2021, together with their user information, were analyzed. Machine learning analytical techniques, including topic modeling, sentiment analysis, and semantic network analyses, were used to identify salient themes/topics and their variations across different user groups (ie, government, journalists/news media, scientists/experts, and the general public). Results Topic modeling results revealed that symptoms, prevention, and social support are the most prevalent dementia-related themes on Weibo. Posts about dementia policy/advocacy have been increasing in volume since 2018. Raising awareness is the least discussed topic over time. Sentiment analysis indicated that Weibo users generally attach negative attitudes/emotions to dementia, with the general public holding a more negative attitude than other user groups. Conclusions Overall, dementia has received greater public attention on social media since 2018. In particular, discussions related to dementia advocacy and policy are gaining momentum in China. However, disparaging language is still used to describe dementia in China; therefore, a nationwide initiative is needed to alter the public discourse on dementia. The results contribute to previous research by providing a macrolevel understanding of the Chinese public’s discourse and attitudes toward dementia, which is essential for building national education and policy initiatives to create a dementia-friendly society. Our findings indicate that dementia is associated with negative sentiments, and symptoms and prevention dominate public discourse. The development of strategies to address unfavorable perceptions of dementia requires policy and public health attention. The results further reveal that an urgent need exists to increase public knowledge about dementia. Social media platforms potentially could be leveraged for future dementia education interventions to increase dementia awareness and promote positive attitudes.

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“…The rise of social media and “digital health” has created new channels through which to propagate and enact responsibility discourses and practices (Erikainen et al, 2019 ; Lupton, 2016 , 2017 ; Rich & Miah, 2017 ). In parallel, scientific advances in neurology have stimulated “successful aging” discourses holding individuals personally responsible to prevent dementia by adopting a healthy lifestyle (Petersen & Schicktanz, 2021 ).…”

Section: Responsibility and Blamementioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, Ryan ([ 1971 ] 1976 ), Wright ( 1993 ), and Greenbaum ( 2015 ) attacked earlier reliance on theories such as the culture of poverty for highlighting individual, rather than structural, failings. Similarly, social science health researchers such as Crawford ( 1979 , 2006 ), Mechanic ( 1993 ), Blaxter ( 1995 ), Finerman & Bennett ( 1995 ), Petersen & Lupton ([ 1996 ] 2000 ), Galvin ( 2002 ), Filc ( 2004 , 2005 ), Herrick ( 2009 ), Ayo ( 2012 ), Brown & Baker ( 2012 ), Baum & Fisher ( 2014 ), Ravn et al ( 2016 ), Hutchison & Holdsworth ( 2021 ), and Petersen & Schicktanz ( 2021 ) criticized the responsibility discourse as blaming the victim while ignoring societal and governmental responsibility for inequities, the failure to curb corporations' damage to the environment and marketing of unhealthy foods, etc. Bauman ( 2002 ) made a similar point about both unemployment and illness (p. xvi).…”

Section: Responsibility: Our Perspective…and Our Subjects’mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…According to Taubes ( 2007 , 2011 ) and Teicholz ( 2014 ), adherence to the dominant professional and governmental advice to decrease fats and increase carbohydrates has, itself, likely contributed to rising obesity rates. Petersen & Schicktanz ( 2021 ) noted that media discourses on individual responsibility for dementia prevention often overstated the strength of the supporting evidence, and risked producing “excessive responsibility demands and false expectations” (p. 2013), as well as stigma and ageism.…”

Section: Responsibility: Our Perspective…and Our Subjects’mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Responsibility in Medical Sociology: A Second, Reflexive Look

Rier

2022

Am Soc

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Personal responsibility has emerged as an important element in many countries’ public health planning, and has attracted substantial debate in public health discourse. Contemporary medical sociology typically resists such “responsibilization” as victim-blaming, by privileged elites, that obscures important structural factors and inequities. This paper, based primarily on a broad review of how contemporary Anglophone medical sociology literatures treat responsibility and blame, points out advantages of taking responsibility seriously, particularly from the individual’s perspective. These advantages include: empowerment; responsibility-as-coping-mechanism; moral dignity; and the pragmatic logic of doing for oneself, rather than passively awaiting societal reforms. We also offer possible reasons why sociologists and their subjects view these issues so differently, and suggest some areas for future research.

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The Experts’ Advice: Prevention and Responsibility in German Media and Scientific Discourses on Dementia

Cited by 15 publications

References 51 publications

Short report: A trend analysis of attitudes towards early diagnosis of dementia in Germany

Short report: A trend analysis of attitudes towards early diagnosis of dementia in Germany

Public Discourse and Sentiment Toward Dementia on Chinese Social Media: Machine Learning Analysis of Weibo Posts

Responsibility in Medical Sociology: A Second, Reflexive Look

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