Public Health.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Gerontology
• Health Education

Background:

• Limited dementia knowledge and stigma are prevalent among Australian adults.
• An ageing population necessitates addressing knowledge gaps and promoting positive attitudes towards dementia.
• This study evaluated co-created dementia information sessions to improve knowledge and attitudes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of dementia information sessions on adult knowledge and attitudes.
• To compare the effectiveness of in-person versus online delivery of dementia education.
• To identify needs for future interventions to reduce dementia-related stigma.

Main Methods:

• Community-based participatory research with dementia networks in South-Western Sydney.
• A two-hour educational intervention covering dementia, causes, care, and support services.
• Comparison of knowledge (Dementia Knowledge Assessment Scale - DKAS) and attitudes (Dementia Diagnosis Attitudes Scale - DDAS) between intervention (in-person/online) and control groups.

Main Results:

• Intervention groups showed significantly higher dementia knowledge scores (DKAS) compared to the control group (p < .001).
• Only two out of 15 attitude items (DDAS) showed statistically significant differences.
• The control group exhibited more positive attitudes on these two items than the intervention groups.

Conclusions:

• Dementia information sessions effectively enhanced participants' knowledge, irrespective of delivery mode (in-person or online).
• A single educational session was insufficient to significantly alter attitudes towards dementia diagnosis.
• Culturally tailored interventions are crucial for effectively reducing public stigma associated with dementia.