Association of Knowledge About Dementia with Two Dimensional Attitudes Among a Community Population in South Korea

Providing correct information about dementia and people living with dementia and improving the attitude toward the disease have important implications in overcoming prejudice and negative perceptions and strengthening the social support system. However, studies are limited about which aspects of dementia knowledge affect attitudes toward it and the influence of such knowledge on particular aspects of such attitudes.

This study examined which part of dementia knowledge affects attitudes toward dementia and, furthermore, the influence of such knowledge on two aspects of attitudes in the general population.

A population-based cross-sectional survey of 1,200 participants aged 20 years or older was adopted. A landline and wireless telephone survey was conducted from October 12 to October 22, 2021. The survey data included self-report questions about dementia knowledge, dementia attitudes, demographics, and family information. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed.

Dementia knowledge was positively associated with global dementia attitudes. In terms of the relationship between the two dimensions of dementia attitudes and knowledge, the latter displayed a significant positive association with accepting attitudes (β= 0.121, p < 0.001) but not with affective attitudes (β= 0.064, p = 0.084). Among dementia knowledge, dementia symptom/diagnosis and policy categories were positively associated with accepting attitudes (β= 0.198, p = 0.006; β= 0.357, p < 0.001).

Our study suggests that people with more dementia knowledge have more accepting attitudes toward dementia. It may be effective to continue education on dementia to improve the public accepting attitudes. However, to improve negative emotional attitudes toward dementia, various approaches beyond education may be needed.