Help-seeking intentions for early dementia diagnosis in a sample of Irish adults

Objectives: To identify factors that may increase intentions to seek help for an early dementia diagnosis. Early dementia diagnosis in Ireland is low, reducing the opportunity for intervention, which can delay progression, reduce psychological distress and increase social supports. Method: Using the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Aging & mental health Vol. 21; no. 8; pp. 870 - 878
Main Authors: Devoy, Susan, Simpson, Ellen Elizabeth Anne
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: England Routledge 03.08.2017
Subjects:
Aged
attitudes
Dementia
Dementia - diagnosis
Dementia - ethnology
Early Diagnosis
Female
Focus Groups
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice - ethnology
help-seeking intentions
Humans
Intention
Ireland - ethnology
Male
Middle Aged
Patient Acceptance of Health Care - ethnology
subjective norms and perceived behavioural control
help-seeking intentions
attitudes
Dementia
subjective norms and perceived behavioural control
ISSN:1360-7863, 1364-6915, 1364-6915
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Objectives: To identify factors that may increase intentions to seek help for an early dementia diagnosis. Early dementia diagnosis in Ireland is low, reducing the opportunity for intervention, which can delay progression, reduce psychological distress and increase social supports. Method: Using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), and a mixed methods approach, three focus groups were conducted (N = 22) to illicit attitudes and beliefs about help seeking for an early dementia diagnosis. The findings informed the development of the Help Seeking Intentions for Early Dementia Diagnosis (HSIEDD) questionnaire which was piloted and then administered to a sample of community dwelling adults from Dublin and Kildare (N = 95). Results: Content analysis revealed participants held knowledge of the symptoms of dementia but not about available interventions. Facilitators of help seeking were family, friends and peers alongside well informed health professionals. Barriers to seeking help were a lack of knowledge, fear, loss, stigma and inaccessible services. The quantitative findings suggest the TPB constructs account for almost 28% of the variance in intentions to seek help for an early diagnosis of dementia, after controlling for sociodemographic variables and knowledge of dementia. In the final step of the regression analysis, the main predictors of help seeking were knowledge of dementia and subjective norm, accounting for 6% and 8% of the variance, respectively. Conclusion: Future interventions should aim to increase awareness of the support available to those experiencing early memory problems, and should highlight the supportive role that family, friends, peers and health professionals could provide.
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ISSN:1360-7863
1364-6915
1364-6915
DOI:10.1080/13607863.2016.1179262