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Perceived stigma towards Alzheimer's disease and related dementia among Chinese older adults: do social networks matter?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 September 2020

Xiang Gao Open the ORCID record for Xiang Gao [Opens in a new window] ,
Fei Sun ,
Lucas Prieto  and
Vijeth Iyengar
Xiang Gao*
Affiliation:
School of Sociology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Fei Sun
Affiliation:
School of Social Work, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
Lucas Prieto
Affiliation:
School of Social Work, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
Vijeth Iyengar
Affiliation:
US Administration on Aging/Administration for Community Living, US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC, USA
*
*Corresponding author. Email: xiangxianggao@126.com
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Abstract

In mainland China, as the population ages, Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD) is estimated to increase among Chinese older adults. Chinese older adults tend to hold stigmatising beliefs about ADRD that in turn affect their help-seeking behaviour and receipt of prevention and treatment. The Framework Integrating Normative Influences on Stigma provides a rationale for Chinese older adult's stigma about ADRD. Questionnaires were administered in person to 754 older adults (42% male, mean age = 69.54 years) from two urban communities in mainland China. We examined ADRD stigma and the associations with real-life exposure, knowledge of ADRD, health conditions and social networks. This study found that Chinese older adults who had good family quality, lower depression (as measured by the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale) and better cognitive health (as measured by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment) were more likely to have lower perceived stigma. Conversely, those individuals who experienced neglect and had more ADRD knowledge exhibited higher levels of perceived stigma. Social networks moderated the associations between cognitive scores and perceived stigma. This research suggested that the quality of one's social networks is essential to reduce perceived stigma among Chinese older adults. Future research should continue to explore ADRD stigma among Chinese older adults to help guide relevant interventions, services and supports for this population.

Keywords

perceived stigmasocial networkscognitive health
Type
Article
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 42 , Issue 5 , May 2022 , pp. 1100 - 1116
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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