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Dementia literacy and worry among older Chinese Americans in Arizona: a comparison between 2013 and 2017

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 November 2021

Fei Sun Open the ORCID record for Fei Sun [Opens in a new window] ,
Kaipeng Wang Open the ORCID record for Kaipeng Wang [Opens in a new window] ,
Yan Shen Open the ORCID record for Yan Shen [Opens in a new window] ,
Xiang Gao Open the ORCID record for Xiang Gao [Opens in a new window]  and
Lucas R. Prieto
Fei Sun
Affiliation:
School of Social Work, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
Kaipeng Wang
Affiliation:
Graduate School of Social Work, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
Yan Shen*
Affiliation:
Hubei Normal University, Huangshi, China
Xiang Gao
Affiliation:
School of Sociology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Lucas R. Prieto
Affiliation:
School of Social Work, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Yan Shen, Hubei Normal University, Huangshi, China. Email: feelingsy@163.com.
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Abstract

Objectives:

This study examined the change in dementia literacy and dementia worry over a 5-year span among older Chinese Americans living in Arizona.

Design, setting, participants, and measurement:

This study used survey data collected among a purposive sample of 703 community-dwelling Chinese Americans aged 55 years or older living in the metropolitan areas of Phoenix, Arizona, from 2013 to 2017. The average age of participants was 73.1 (SD = 8.7) and 64.2% were female. Dementia literacy was measured by dementia knowledge (knowledge about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia) and dementia beliefs (biased attitude toward dementia). Dementia worry was measured by assessing participants’ fear toward and concerns of developing dementia.

Results:

Regression analyses found dementia knowledge decreased (p < 0.05) and dementia beliefs remained unchanged (p > 0.05) from 2013 to 2017 among participants. Dementia worry only increased among those who lived alone. Significant correlates of dementia worry included low formal education level, depressive symptoms, and family conflict.

Conclusions:

Public health education targeting older Chinese Americans should aim to enhance dementia knowledge and to rectify their biased attitudes toward dementia. Psychosocial education or counseling should be available to older Chinese Americans who present dementia worry, particularly for those who live alone. More studies using diverse study designs, such as a longitudinal design, are needed to examine change in dementia literacy and worry among this population.

Keywords

dementia literacydementia knowledgedementia worrydementia beliefsolder Chinese Americans
Type
Original Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 35 , Special Issue 1: Issue Theme: Ageism, Dementia, and Culture , January 2023 , pp. 43 - 53
Copyright
© International Psychogeriatric Association 2021

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