Alzheimer's disease is the fourth leading cause of death among seniors but its insidious onset makes it difficult to distinguish from age-related decline and little is known about how much knowledge and fear people entertain about this disease. This study examined knowledge and fear of Alzheimer's disease by surveying 127 young (M = 19.6 yr.) and 118 older (M = 67.9 yr.) participants. Younger participants obtained a score of 64%, while older participants obtained 58% on the knowledge test. Younger participants reported significantly higher fear overall. Knowledge and Fear scores were not significantly correlated with having a family member or knowing someone with Alzheimer's disease.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
DiIorioC.ShaferP. OsborneLetzR.HenryT.SchomerD. L.YeagerK. (2003) The association of stigma with self-management and perceptions of health care among adults with epilepsy. Epilepsy Behavior, 4, 259–267.
2.
ElkindD. (1967) Egocentrism in adolescence. Child Development, 38, 1025–1034.
3.
JolleyD. J.BenbowS. M. (2000) Stigma and Alzheimer's disease: Causes, consequences and a constructive approach. International Journal of Clinical Practice, 54, 117–119.
