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The Dunedin dementia risk awareness project: pilot study in older adults

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 September 2019

Yoram Barak Open the ORCID record for Yoram Barak [Opens in a new window] ,
Andrew R. Gray ,
Charlene Rapsey  and
Kate Scott
Yoram Barak*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, Otago University Medical School, Dunedin, New Zealand
Andrew R. Gray
Affiliation:
Centre for Biostatistics, Division of Health Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Charlene Rapsey
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, Otago University Medical School, Dunedin, New Zealand
Kate Scott
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, Otago University Medical School, Dunedin, New Zealand
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Yoram Barak, Department of Psychological Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, PO Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand. Phone: +64 3 4740999 ext. 58117; Fax: +64-3-4709684. Email: yoram.barak@otago.ac.nz.
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Abstract

Aims:

The USA and UK governmental and academic agencies suggest that up to 35% of dementia cases are preventable. We canvassed dementia risk and protective factor awareness among New Zealand older adults to inform the design of a larger survey.

Method:

The modified Lifestyle for Brain Health scale quantifying dementia risk was introduced to a sample of 304 eligible self-selected participants.

Results:

Two hundred and sixteen older adults (≥50 years), with mean ± standard deviation age 65.5 ± 11.4 years (50–93 years), completed the survey (71% response rate). Respondents were mostly women (n = 172, 80%), European (n = 207, 96%), and well educated (n = 100, 46%, with a tertiary qualification; including n = 17, 8%, with a postgraduate qualification). Around half of the participants felt that they were at a future risk of living with dementia (n = 101, 47%), and the majority felt that this would change their lives significantly (n = 205, 95%), that lifestyle changes would reduce their risk (n = 197, 91%), and that they could make the necessary changes (n = 189, 88%) and wished to start changes soon (n = 160, 74%). Only 4 of 14 modifiable risk or protective factors for dementia were adequately identified by the participants: physical exercise (81%), depression (76%), brain exercises (75%), and social isolation (83%). Social isolation was the commonly cited risk factor for dementia, while physical exercise was the commonly cited protective factor. Three clusters of brain health literacy were identified: psychosocial, medical, and modifiable.

Conclusion:

The older adults in our study are not adequately knowledgeable about dementia risk and protective factors. However, they report optimism about modifying risks through lifestyle interventions.

Keywords

literacybrain healthlonelinessmemory
Type
Original Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 32 , Issue 2: Issue Theme: Psychological Promoters of Well-Being in Older Adults , February 2020 , pp. 241 - 254
Copyright
© International Psychogeriatric Association 2019 

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