Do people know which habits change dementia risk?
Among 551 Irish adults (mean age 59.7), 65.6% thought lifestyle could lower dementia risk but only 31.4% thought dementia could be prevented; head injury, low mental stimulation, and alcohol were the best-recognized risks.
Source
Modifiable risk factors for dementia, and awareness of brain health behaviors: Results from the Five Lives Brain Health Ireland Survey (FLBHIS)
Study at a glance
- Design
- Cross-sectional — Five Lives Brain Health Ireland Survey of exposure to and awareness of 13 modifiable dementia risk factors, February 2022
- N
- N=551 · 555 volunteers surveyed; analytic sample 551 (50.3% male; mean age 59.7 years)
- Population
- Community volunteers in Ireland completing the FLBHIS in February 2022
- Outcome
- Self-reported exposure to and recognition of modifiable dementia risks; beliefs that lifestyle can reduce or prevent dementia
Structured fields used in claim comparison tables when every cited study has a complete layer.
What they did
Administered a February 2022 cross-sectional survey to 555 volunteers (551 analyzed) covering sociodemographics plus exposure and knowledge for diet, social contact, exercise, hypertension, sleep, depression, smoking, alcohol, cognitive stimulation, hearing, diabetes, air pollution, and head injury.
What they found
Modifiable risks were common and more often clustered in men. 65.6% endorsed lifestyle risk reduction but only 31.4% endorsed prevention. Head injury (90.9%), low mental stimulation (85.3%), and alcohol (77.8%) were the top recognized factors; university education predicted greater awareness.
The limits
What it doesn't show
A voluntary cross-sectional survey cannot prove that raising awareness will cut dementia incidence or that the sample represents all of Ireland.
Key terms
- FLBHIS
- Five Lives Brain Health Ireland Survey.
- Modifiable dementia risk
- Lifestyle and health factors (e.g., hearing, hypertension, smoking) thought to account for up to 40% of dementias.
- Prevention vs risk reduction
- 31.4% thought dementia could be prevented vs 65.6% who thought lifestyle could decrease risk.
- Head injury
- The most recognized risk factor (90.9%, n = 500).
- Cognitive stimulation
- Low mental stimulation was the second most recognized factor (85.3%).
- Socioeconomic gradient
- Awareness was higher in undergraduate and postgraduate groups.
Flashcards
Research intelligence for this paper
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Quiz yourself
Analyzed N was about:
Common questions
How many people were analyzed?
551 (from 555 surveyed).
What share thought dementia could be prevented?
31.4%, versus 65.6% who thought lifestyle could decrease risk.
Best-recognized risk?
Head injury (90.9%).
Who had higher awareness?
University (undergraduate and postgraduate) groups.
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