Public knowledge about dementia risk reduction in Norway

Abstract

Background Several modifiable lifestyle risk factors for dementia have been identified, but it is unclear how much the Norwegian public knows about the relationship between lifestyle and brain health. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate knowledge about modifiable dementia risk and protective factors and beliefs and attitudes towards dementia and dementia risk reduction in a randomly selected subsample of the Norwegian population. Methods The total sample (n = 1435) included individuals aged 40–70 years from four counties (Oslo, Innlandet, Nordland and Trøndelag) in Norway. Two online questionnaires were used to measure (1) awareness about dementia risk reduction and (2) an individual`s motivation to change behaviour for dementia risk reduction (MOCHAD-10). Results Of the participants, 70% were aware of the potential of dementia risk reduction in general. Physical inactivity (86%), cognitive inactivity (84%) and social isolation (80%) were the most frequently recognised dementia risk factors. On the other hand, diabetes (26%), coronary heart disease (19%), hearing loss (18%) and chronic kidney disease (7%) were less often recognised as dementia risk factors. Comparing men and women, the only significant difference was that women were more likely to report parents with dementia as a risk factor compared to men. Gender, age and educational differences were seen in beliefs and attitudes towards dementia prevention:women reported more negative feelings and attitudes towards dementia than men;those aged 40–49 years – more likely than older age groups – reported that ‘knowing family members with dementia’ or ‘having risk factors’ made them believe they had to change their lifestyle and behaviour. Conclusions The results indicate that 70% of the Norwegian public are aware of the potential for dementia risk reduction in general. However, there are major gaps in existing knowledge, particularly for cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, hypercholesterolemia and metabolic factors (diabetes, obesity). These findings underline the importance of further informing the Norwegian public about lifestyle-related risk and protective factors of dementia. Differences in beliefs and attitudes towards dementia risk prevention by age, gender and education require tailored public risk reduction interventions.

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

“…Belief that dementia can be prevented was higher in 2022 than in 2011. While a systematic review on dementia literacy in population-based samples from 2018 found that an overall 48% of respondents thought that dementia is not preventable [ 26 ], more recent studies indicate greater belief in the possibility of dementia risk reduction, with respective values ranging from 64.5% [ 27 ] to 70% [ 28 ], which is in line with our findings. Knowledge of specific risk and protective factors for dementia in the 2022-survey are described in detail elsewhere [ 23 ].…”

Public Knowledge about Dementia in Poland—A Survey Study

“…In our survey, many (81.58%) respondents indicated the existence of factors increasing the risk of the disease, and 80.92% of respondents believed that there were protective factors. Knowledge in this area was also assessed in Norway, with 70% of responses indicating the presence of dementia risk factors [22], and in Germany, where the percentage of respondents demonstrating knowledge of the existence of modifiable dementia risk factors was 67.9% [35]. In the Polish, Norwegian and German populations, the two most frequently indicated factors that had a protective value against developing dementia were maintaining intellectual activity (89.80%, 84% and 86.7%, respectively) and physical activity (81.25%, 86% and 86.9%, respectively).…”

“…In Poland, there are several programs providing knowledge concerning various health problems (e.g., stroke or hypertension), while there are none regarding dementia. In many other countries, such programs are widespread, and their introduction was preceded by a thorough assessment of knowledge in the respective society [19][20][21][22].…”

Brain Health and Cognition in Older Adults: Roadmap and Milestones towards the Implementation of Preventive Strategies

“…Nevertheless, it does not specifically include a dedicated BHS to our knowledge. Interestingly, up to 70% of Norwegian citizens are aware of the potential of dementia risk reduction; nevertheless, some risk factors are more frequently recognized than others [79]. It is possible that the three decades of efforts put in place by the Norwegian government have raised awareness in the general population, leading to an incentive for virtuous lifestyle changes.…”