Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare (Dec 2023)
The Mediating Role of Attitudes Towards Dementia on the Relationship Between Dementia Knowledge and Behaviors Towards Persons with Dementia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Abstract
Yang-Tzu Li,1 Jing-Xuan Bai,2 Jia-Ming He,2 Shao-Wei Yang,3 Hsiu-Li Huang1 1Department of Long-Term Care, College of Health Technology, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei, Taiwan; 2Department of Information Management, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei, Taiwan; 3Department of Health Administration, College of Health Technology and Management, Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology, Hualien City, TaiwanCorrespondence: Hsiu-Li Huang, Department of Long-Term Care, College of Health Technology, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei, Taiwan, Tel +886-2-28227101 Ext 1292, Fax +886-2-23891464, Email [email protected]: To examine the mediating effect of attitudes towards dementia on the relationship between dementia knowledge and behaviors towards persons with dementia.Participants and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 313 adults (age ≤ 20 years). Participants were recruited using non-probability convenience sampling from medical clinics, community centers, and supermarkets located in the Wanhua District of Taipei City. Data were collected with the following self-report questionnaires: a demographic survey, validated instruments for dementia knowledge and attitudes towards dementia (assessed using the Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale and the Approaches to Dementia Questionnaire, respectively), and a researcher-developed survey on unfriendly behaviors towards persons with dementia.Results: Pearson’s correlation and multiple linear regression analysis indicated that higher scores for dementia knowledge and more positive attitudes about dementia were significantly associated with lower levels of unfriendly behaviors towards persons living with dementia. Mediation analysis using a robust bootstrap test with 5000 samples indicated that attitudes toward dementia had a partial mediating effect on the relationship between dementia knowledge and unfriendly behaviors.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that increasing public awareness and knowledge about dementia could help the general population develop better attitudes towards dementia, which could subsequently help improve behaviors towards persons living with dementia.Keywords: attitudes towards dementia, behaviors towards dementia, dementia knowledge, persons with dementia
