Community-based survey of perceived stigma in dementia: Insights from a collectivist culture
Alzheimer's and Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment and Disease Monitoring, cilt.18, sa.2, 2026 (ESCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 18 Sayı: 2
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1002/dad2.70357
- Dergi Adı: Alzheimer's and Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment and Disease Monitoring
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus, EMBASE, Directory of Open Access Journals, Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: affiliate stigma, Alzheimer's dementia, dementia caregiver, dementia-related knowledge, perceived stigma
- İstanbul Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
INTRODUCTION: In collectivist cultures, internalization of negative beliefs fosters stigma. This study aimed to assess the relationship between Alzheimer's disease (AD) knowledge and perceived stigma, focusing on sociodemographic variables; gender, marital status, occupation, and caregiving. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 529 participants without psychiatric or neurological disorders completed the AD knowledge scale, Affiliated Stigma Scale (ASS), and stigma survey. RESULTS: Age showed no significant association with dementia knowledge or stigma. Higher education, living with family/spouse, and being dementia caregiver predicted perceived stigma. Caregivers demonstrated higher knowledge; but similar stigma levels compared to non-caregivers which was significantly related to the ASS-affective component. Healthcare workers also had greater knowledge but did not differ in terms of stigma. DISCUSSION: Knowledge improved by education and caregiving, but stigma persisted, shaped by emotional and cultural dynamics. These findings suggest that future interventions may benefit from integrating empathy-focused and attitude-based modules, as knowledge alone is insufficient to reduce stigma.