Role of Interacting and Learning Experiences on Public Stigma Against Dementia: An Observational Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Overcoming dementia stigma is a global challenge. Contact and education on dementia may be promising approaches for reducing public stigma; however, the current evidence is insufficient. This study examined the moderating factors associated with the public stigma against dementia, focusing on experiences of interacting with and learning about people with dementia. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 710 adults aged 20–69 years who were not involved in any medical or care work. Participants were recruited via a web-based questionnaire survey for a large internet survey agency’s panel in Japan. In terms of the public stigma about dementia, four domains were assessed using a multidimensional assessment scale: personal avoidance, fear of labelling, person-centredness, and fear of discrimination. We compared the stigma scores according to the participants’ experiences of interacting with people with dementia (‘none’, ‘talking or activities together’, or ‘living together’) and learning about dementia (‘yes’ or ‘no’), adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic factors.

Results: Compared with those without interaction experiences, those with experiences of talking or activities with people with dementia had lower personal avoidance (p = .001), fear of labelling (p = .026), and fear of discrimination (p = .031); those with experiences of living together with people with dementia had lower personal avoidance (p = .014) and fear of discrimination (p = .031). Compared with those without learning experiences related to dementia, those with such experiences had lower personal avoidance (p < .001) and higher person-centredness (p = .048).

Conclusions: The findings suggest that the promotion of interaction with and learning about people with dementia may be important for addressing the public stigma.