Mental Health Literacy and Dementia

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate mental health literacy (MHL) with respect to dementia. Three forms of dementia were investigated. In all, 167 participants completed an online questionnaire which consisted of five vignettes that described the three dementia conditions, as well as depression and typical ageing. The vignette characters had no age specified, or they were described as 50-years-old or 70-years-old. Participants had to firstly decide if there was a disorder present and identify it by name, then answer questions relating to treatment and help-seeking. Results showed that participants could identify Alzheimer’s Disease significantly more so than they could vascular or frontotemporal dementia. All three dementias were significantly more recognised when the vignette was described as a 70-year-old. Frontotemporal dementia was significantly misdiagnosed as depression. Participant education and mental health experience did not influence the identification of dementia. Compared to some other well-known mental illnesses like schizophrenia, lay people are relatively good at recognising Alzheimer’s disease, but much less so at other forms of dementia. Implications and limitations of the study are discussed.

Dementia literacy and familiarity with term dementia: An exploratory study from a psychiatry outpatient setting

“…[ 8 ] It is worth noting that although over half of the participants recognized memory problems as a component, only a meager 24% had prior exposure to the term “dementia.” On the flip side, 28.5% of participants attributed the condition to other mental illnesses, echoing a similar study where a dementia case was misdiagnosed as depression in 32% of instances. [ 12 ] In our study, a mere 13.9% of participants considered dementia as an inherent facet of normal aging, a notable contrast to prior studies where over half believed dementia to be an intrinsic part of the aging process, [ 13 ] indicating a rising awareness concerning dementia. Methodological distinctions, including our hospital-based approach, may contribute to this shift in perception compared to previous community-based studies.…”