<p>Assessing Knowledge and Perceptions of Alzheimer’s Disease Among Employees of a Pharmaceutical Company in Spain: A Comparison Between Caregivers and Non-Caregivers</p>

Abstract

Background: Raising knowledge about Alzheimer's disease (AD) may help in identifying the disorder, seeking earlier appropriate healthcare, and decreasing its stigma. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and perceptions towards people with AD among employees of a pharmaceutical company in Spain. Methods: A non-interventional, cross-sectional study was conducted among 447 employees. Participants answered demographic questions and completed the Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS). Caregivers also answered questions related to their personal experience with patients with AD and completed the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), the Revised Memory and Behavior Problems Checklist (RMBPC), and the Beck Depression Inventory-Fast Screen (BDI-FS). Results: Participants were mostly between 30 and 50 years old (63%), female (65.3%), and had bachelor or master degrees (82.7%). Forty-two (9.4%) of participants were caregivers, mainly of moderate to severe dementia subjects. Overall knowledge about AD was moderate (mean ADKS score = 21.2 ± 2.8 [70.6% of correct answers]). Risk factors and caregiving were the domains with lowest scores (correct answers: 58.58% and 63%, respectively). Mean total ADKS score was significantly higher in participants caring for people with AD compared with non-caregivers (22.1 ± 2.9 and 21.0 ± 2.8; p=0.02, respectively). There was no statistically significant association between total ADKS score and age, sex, educational level, or relative's AD severity. Most caregivers were satisfied with life (mean SWLS score = 26.8 ± 5.6) showing a low impact from behavioral problems (mean RMBPC reaction score = 26.81 ± 20.2). Six of them (14.3%) were scored as depressed. Conclusion: There is a continuing need to improve understanding of AD to fill the gaps in knowledge of the disease, even in a population working in healthcare sector with a high educational level.

Ethnic Differences in Attitudes and Preventive Behaviors Related to Alzheimer’s Disease in the Israeli Survey of Aging

“…Thus, we believe that public education about AD that takes cultural attitudes into account can increase public acceptance of people with AD [ 79 ], promote beliefs that dementia risk reduction is possible, and increase motivation for behavioral changes [ 80 ]. This, in turn, may hopefully lead to increased inclusion as well as better preventive behaviors among all citizens in the different ethnic groups, better identification of symptoms, and greater seeking of services [ 24 ]. Notably, interventions should go beyond information transmission and drawing attention to personal risk and prevention.…”

“…An examination of these ethnic differences is especially crucial in the case of AD, where aging and mental health compound to form negative stigma. An understanding of these ethnic differences may help to tailor culturally appropriate psychoeducational interventions and effective services for PwAD and their care givers [ 23 , 24 , 25 ].…”

“…Knowledge about a health condition is a critical first step in facilitating appropriate and timely use of preventive health services, either by laypersons or the healthcare system; for example, older persons who know more about AD and attach less stigma to it may be more inclined to discuss early signs with their healthcare practitioner [ 15 , 22 ]. Evaluating knowledge and attitudes of the population can also guide psychoeducational efforts among support groups or social services staff [ 23 , 24 , 25 ].…”

“…In addition to the typical social determinants of health (age, gender, marital status, education, income), two additional variables need to be considered as potentially associated with AD-related attitudes and behavior. First, exposure/familiarity with AD was found to be associated with enhanced AD knowledge and more accepting attitudes [ 20 , 24 ], and familiarity with mental illness was found to be associated with reduced stigma [ 57 ], decreased desire for social isolation and increased positive attitudes towards people with mental health issues. Second, Internet use, which affords greater access to health information [ 58 , 59 ], may also be associated with AD-related attitudes and behavior.…”

Quantifying Knowledge of Alzheimer’s Disease: An Analysis of the Psychometric Properties of the Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale

“…Although information about cognitive impairment has been widely disseminated through numerous awareness campaigns and educational programs, several studies have revealed different gaps in the public's knowledge regarding dementia and AD [3][4][5][6]. Adequate AD knowledge throughout society could lead to earlier identification of this disorder in the population, which would result in earlier appropriate healthcare for people with dementia and would decrease the stigma associated with AD [3].…”