Determining Middle-Aged and Older Adults’ Health Beliefs to Change Lifestyle and Health Behavior for Dementia Risk Reduction

Abstract

Background: Global population is getting older and the prevalence of dementia continuously increases. Understanding the related health beliefs is bound to enable lifestyle-based interventions that maximize public engagement in dementia risk reduction behaviors. The aim of this study was to determine health beliefs on dementia prevention behaviors and lifestyle changes and to determine the factors influencing these beliefs among middle-aged and older people in Turkey. Materials and Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 284 individuals aged 40 years and older, using nonprobability convenience sampling. Data were collected using a demographic characteristic form and the Turkish version of the Motivation for Changing Lifestyle and Health Behavior for Reducing the Risk of Dementia scale. The study utilized the value, mean, percentage frequency distribution, correlation, independent t test, and the one-way analysis of variance test. Results: The mean age of the participants included in the study was 56.99 ± 12.05, 68.7% of individuals were males. The mean education years of the participants were 11.22 ± 4.55. The majority (72.2%) of participants expressed subjective memory complaints. Presence of family history of dementia was 28.2%. Age, gender, education years, subjective memory complaints, presence family history of dementia, prior experience as a caregiver of dementia, and willingness to know their own risk were determined as essential factors that influence several health belief factors related to dementia risk reduction. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that males, older adults, and lower-educated and income are priority groups that should be guided for lifestyle and behavioral changes regarding dementia risk reduction.

Knowledge, health beliefs and attitudes towards dementia and dementia risk reduction among the Dutch general population: a cross-sectional study

“…Further, highly educated participants perceived more benefits and less barriers to perform healthy behaviours and had more confidence in their ability to perform the desired behaviour. These findings are in line with previous findings [ 15 , 20 ]. Only two previous studies reported MCLHB-DRR subscale scores reflecting the health beliefs and attitudes towards dementia (risk reduction) among the Australian (50 years and older) and Turkish (40 years and older) population [ 14 , 15 ].…”

“…These findings are in line with previous findings [ 15 , 20 ]. Only two previous studies reported MCLHB-DRR subscale scores reflecting the health beliefs and attitudes towards dementia (risk reduction) among the Australian (50 years and older) and Turkish (40 years and older) population [ 14 , 15 ]. In comparison to our study, these studies showed slightly higher scores on a number of subscales of the MCLHB-DRR scale.…”

“…Older individuals had lower perceived benefits, cues to action and self-efficacy scores compared to younger individuals. Furthermore, less educated individuals had lower perceived benefits and self-efficacy scores and higher perceived barriers scores [ 15 ]. However, Kim et al (2014) only found significant age differences in males, but not in females [ 14 ].…”

“…Two studies examined the health beliefs and attitudes towards dementia (risk reduction) using the Motivation to Change Lifestyle and Health Behaviours for Dementia Risk Reduction (MCLHB-DRR) scale among the Australian (50 years and older) and Turkish (40 years and older) population [14,15]. Akyol et al (2020) found that males had lower perceived severity and cues to action scores and higher perceived barriers scores compared to females. Older individuals had lower perceived benefits, cues to action and self-efficacy scores compared to younger individuals.…”

Factors Associated With the Experience of Cognitive Training Apps for the Prevention of Dementia: Cross-sectional Study Using an Extended Health Belief Model

“…These perceptions about dementia can also be negatively affected by inaccurate knowledge about dementia. If someone’s level of awareness for the causes and symptoms of dementia is low, they are less likely to participate in preventive activities for dementia, which may lead to delayed diagnosis and treatment [ 10 , 11 ]. Therefore, knowledge and perceptions about dementia is very important for the proper management of the disease [ 12 ].…”