Knowledge, Awareness, and Attitude of Healthcare Stakeholders on Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia in Qatar

Paul, Pradipta; Mahfoud, Ziyad; Malik, Rayaz A.; Kaul, Ridhima; Navti, Phyllis Muffuh; Al-Sheikhly, Deema; Châari, Ali

doi:10.3390/ijerph20054535

Cited by 9 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 89 publications

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“…Similarly, Al-Awad et al found that while primary care physicians had a positive attitude toward dementia care, their mean knowledge score was a suboptimal 36.4 out of 50 [ 17 ]. Beyond Saudi Arabia, Paul et al revealed moderate dementia knowledge (mean 5.3 out of 7) among healthcare professionals in Qatar, with a lack of awareness about recent pathophysiological advances [ 18 ]. Pham et al also noted poor dementia knowledge and low confidence levels among primary care providers in Vietnam [ 19 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dementia Knowledge Among Primary Healthcare Physicians in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Alsalem,

Alghathber,

Alowain

et al. 2024

Cureus

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Introduction: Dementia poses a significant healthcare challenge globally, and healthcare providers must have adequate knowledge about its diagnosis, management, and support services. By assessing the knowledge level of primary care physicians in Riyadh, we can identify potential gaps and areas for improvement in dementia care, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes and quality of life. This study holds promise in shedding light on the current state of dementia knowledge among primary healthcare physicians in Riyadh and offering insights into strategies to enhance dementia care in this region. Methods: This cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted from the first of June 2023 to the end of December 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A validated questionnaire was used to assess physicians’ knowledge, attitude, and practice toward dementia. Results: A total of 151 physicians completed the questionnaires. The majority were male (55%), below 30 years of age (88.1%), and family medicine residents (84.8%). Most (74.8%) recognized old age as the most significant risk factor; an overwhelming majority of participants (98.7%) could not identify the minimum course of treatment to judge a medication’s effectiveness. The average score of correct responses (7.74 ∓ 4.11) was equivalent to 38.7%. Furthermore, the average correct responses were significantly different among the different job levels of the participants. Conclusions: The findings of this study highlight a lack of knowledge among primary care physicians regarding dementia, emphasizing the crucial importance of physician education in this area. Additionally, the results strongly indicate the need for emphasis on dementia education within the undergraduate medical curriculum, family medicine curriculum, and physician training programs. By addressing these educational gaps, we can better equip physicians to provide optimal care and support for individuals with dementia, ultimately improving patient care and quality of life.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dementia Knowledge Among Primary Healthcare Physicians in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Alsalem,

Alghathber,

Alowain

et al. 2024

Cureus

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“…The total scores of the responses to the 20 items of the DAS range from 20 to 140. It is divided into two main domains, the Dementia Knowledge domain (items 3,7,10,11,12,14,15,18,19,20), and the Social Comfort domain (items 1,2,4, 5,6,8,9,13,16,17). Each of the two domains has scores ranging from 10 to 70, and the sum of the two domains gives the total DAS score.…”

Section: Data Collection Instrumentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Another study conducted in Qatar demonstrated an average score of 5.3 out of 7 (approximately 75%) when filling the seven measures of knowledge regarding AD and dementia by healthcare professionals showed moderate knowledge of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia. Physicians had the most knowledge, followed by students, educators, researchers, nurses, and others [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of knowledge and attitudes regarding Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia among medical students in Palestine: A cross-sectional study

Abuawad,

Rjoub,

Dumaidi

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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Introduction Dementia, a major global health concern, is an acquired disorder that causes a progressive decline in cognitive abilities, affecting learning and memory, language, executive function, complex attention, perceptual-motor skills, and social cognition. Our study aims to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes regarding dementia and Alzheimer’s disease among medical students. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among 393 medical students in Palestine from August 2023 to November 2023. The assessment of knowledge and attitude toward dementia was measured using the Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS) and Dementia Attitude Scale (DAS). The data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, and the Mann-Whitney U-test and the Kruskal-Wallis test were used to compare the mean between the groups with a 5% significance level. Results The overall mean score of the student’s knowledge of dementia measured by the ADKS was 18.91 (±3.32 SD) out of 30. The mean score of the student’s attitude toward dementia measured by the DAS was 91.68 (±3.32 SD). Clinical students had higher ADKS scores than pre-clinical students (p-value < 0.001). No significant differences in the knowledge and attitudes toward dementia were found between males and females. The medical students’ knowledge and attitude scores were positively correlated (ρ = 0.227, p-value <0.001). Conclusion Palestinian medical student’s knowledge about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia is insufficient, with students in the clinical phase showing better understanding than pre-clinical students. The findings highlight a necessity for enhancing the dementia curriculum and conducting further studies to evaluate training’s impact on students’ knowledge and attitudes.

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“…Dementia, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, poses a significant challenge to individuals, healthcare systems, and societies worldwide. 1 As the global population ages, the prevalence of dementia continues to rise, with an estimated 66 × 10 6 cases projected by 2030 and 115 × 10 6 by 2050. 2 Early detection and diagnosis of dementia are crucial for timely intervention, symptom management, and improving the quality of life of affected individuals, 3 socioeconomic costs associated with dementia, and Alzheimer's disease alone imposing an annual cost exceeding $350 000 per patient in the United States.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multimodal dementia identification using lifestyle and brain lesions, a machine learning approach

Akbarifar,

Maghsoudpour,

Mohammadian

et al. 2024

AIP Advances

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Dementia diagnosis often relies on expensive and invasive neuroimaging techniques that limit access to early screening. This study proposes an innovative approach for facilitating early dementia screening by estimating diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measures using accessible lifestyle and brain imaging factors. Conventional DTI analysis, though effective, is often hindered by high costs and limited accessibility. To address this challenge, fuzzy subtractive clustering identified 14 influential variables from the Lifestyle for Brain Health and Brain Atrophy and Lesion Index frameworks, encompassing demographics, medical conditions, lifestyle factors, and structural brain markers. A multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network was developed using these selected variables to predict fractional anisotropy (FA), a DTI metric reflecting white matter integrity and cognitive function. The MLP model achieved promising results, with a mean squared error of 0.000 878 on the test set for FA prediction, demonstrating its potential for accurate DTI estimation without costly neuroimaging techniques. The FA values in the dataset ranged from 0 to 1, with higher values indicating greater white matter integrity. Thus, a mean squared error of 0.000 878 suggests that the model’s predictions were highly accurate compared to the observed FA values. This multifactorial approach aligns with the current understanding of dementia’s complex etiology influenced by various biological, environmental, and lifestyle factors. By integrating readily available data into a predictive model, this method enables widespread, cost-effective screening for early dementia risk assessment. The proposed accessible screening tool could facilitate timely interventions, preventive strategies, and efficient resource allocation in public health programs, ultimately improving patient outcomes and caregiver burden.

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Knowledge, Awareness, and Attitude of Healthcare Stakeholders on Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia in Qatar

Cited by 9 publications

References 89 publications

Dementia Knowledge Among Primary Healthcare Physicians in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Dementia Knowledge Among Primary Healthcare Physicians in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Evaluation of knowledge and attitudes regarding Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia among medical students in Palestine: A cross-sectional study

Multimodal dementia identification using lifestyle and brain lesions, a machine learning approach

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