Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America 2009.
This article appears in the following The Gerontologist issue: Promoting Cognitive Health in Diverse Populations of Older Adults [View the issue table of contents]
The Public's Perceptions About Cognitive Health and Alzheimer's Disease Among the U.S. Population: A National Review
2 Healthy Aging Program, Division of Adult and Community Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
3 Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
4 Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago
5 Alzheimer's Association, National Office, Chicago, Illinois
6 Center on Aging and Department of Community Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown
1 Address correspondence to Lynda A. Anderson, PhD, Healthy Aging Program, Division of Adult and Community Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE MS K45, Atlanta, GA 30341. E-mail: laa0{at}cdc.gov
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Abstract |
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The present review assesses the public's perceptions about cognitive health and Alzheimer's disease among adults in the United States. We searched the published literature and Internet, and contacted experts in the field to locate surveys assessing the public's perceptions about cognition. We found 10 eligible surveys and abstracted data concerning the public's knowledge, beliefs, concerns, and sources of information. Most of the surveys were conducted in the 2000s and focused on Alzheimer's disease rather then cognitive health. Based on the findings from the surveys, most adults were found to be aware of Alzheimer's disease but lacked specific information about the disease and its treatments. Most respondents did not perceive themselves as being very knowledgeable about Alzheimer's disease. Although we could classify the findings into several overarching domains, such as knowledge, we found considerable variability among surveys in the questions asked. Additional work is needed to understand the public's perceptions about cognitive health. Moreover, we also lack studies that help us understand perceptions about cognition across diverse demographic and cultural groups. Only by addressing these gaps can we develop targeted and effective strategies to enhance knowledge and beliefs about cognitive impairment and health.
Keywords: Knowledge, Belief, Alzheimer's disease
Received August 11, 2008; Accepted October 14, 2008
Decision Editor: Rebecca G. Logsdon, PhD
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