Attitudes Towards Brain Health and Dementia Risk Reduction Among Minoritised Ethnic Communities in the United...

There is much excitement about the potential for dementia prevention by targeting modifiable risk factors, yet sociodemographic disparities in dementia-related knowledge, stigma, and risk factor awareness remain underexplored. This study examines these differences among minoritised ethnic communities in the UK.

As part of a project by the NIHR Dementia and Neurodegeneration Policy Research Unit at Queen Mary (DeNPRU-QM), dementia knowledge, stigma, and risk factor awareness of 3500 participants were assessed in a secondary analysis of data from two national surveys conducted in 2023 by Alzheimer's Research UK. Linear regression models were used to examine associations between ethnicity and knowledge-related outcomes, while ordinal logistic regression was used for stigma, adjusting for age, sex, education, social grade, chronic conditions, and knowing someone with dementia.

Compared to White participants, South Asian (Coef. = -0.45, 95% CI [-0.55, -0.34], p < 0.001) and Black participants (Coef. = -0.17, 95% CI [-0.27, -0.06], p < 0.005) had lower knowledge about dementia. Compared to White participants, Black participants had higher odds of reporting greater stigma (OR = 2.55, 95% CI [2.10, 3.09], p < 0.001), as did South Asian participants (OR = 1.62, 95% CI [1.34, 1.97], p < 0.001) and participants from Other ethnic groups (OR = 1.55, 95% CI [1.17, 2.07], p = 0.003). Black individuals also had lower knowledge of dementia risk factors compared to White participants (Coef. = -0.655, 95% CI [-1.110, -0.200], p = 0.005). Education level, chronic health conditions, gender, profession, and knowing someone with dementia were also associated with some outcomes, although associations varied by outcome.

Ethnic disparities exist in dementia knowledge, stigma, and dementia risk factor awareness. Any future public information campaign around dementia risk reduction and timely diagnosis should ensure cultural competency and include strategies to reach minoritised ethnic communities. Policymakers should consider how prevention might be promoted in all health and social care encounters, since people with chronic conditions who may not be eligible for primary health checks had lower levels of knowledge about dementia.