Public attitudes toward dementia risk prediction: A mixed-methods study.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Public Health
• Psychology

Background:

• Numerous dementia risk prediction models exist but have poor clinical adoption.
• Understanding public attitudes is crucial for effective implementation of these tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine public attitudes toward dementia risk prediction.
• To explore factors influencing the desire to know personal dementia risk.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach combining focus groups (n=9) and an online survey (n=687).
• Thematic content analysis for qualitative data and descriptive statistics for quantitative data.

Main Results:

• Focus group participants showed reluctance due to fear and emotional burden, while others were motivated by practical benefits.
• 66.1% of survey respondents desired to know their 10-year dementia risk, rising to 82.3% if preventive medication was available.
• Most participants believed a healthy lifestyle could reduce dementia risk, yet perceived their risk as lower than their threshold for action.

Conclusions:

• Dementia risk prediction tool development must consider personal actionability and the emotional impact of risk communication.
• Public interest in knowing dementia risk increases significantly when effective preventive measures are available.