Perceptions of Chinese towards dementia in Hong Kong: diagnosis, symptoms and impacts

The increasing prevalence of dementia has become a public health issue worldwide including China. This study aims to explore the perception of Chinese in Hong Kong towards the diagnosis, symptoms and impacts of dementia. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among outpatients (without diagnosed dementia) attending a regional public hospital using a standard questionnaire. The results from 290 respondents showed that most preferred to be told about the diagnosis of dementia as soon as possible if they got it, in order to deal with the news and to access treatment and support early. Nearly two thirds of the respondents perceived practical issues (61.3%), physical health (61.0%), and emotional distress (58.4%) as their most fearful impacts, while legal issues (7.4%) were their least concerns. Family history/genes (79.1%) and brain injury (75.9%) were the most commonly perceived causes of dementia. For symptoms, respondents were more likely to identify cognitive impairments than undesirable behaviours. The accepting and proactive attitudes of the public indicate that there is a timely need of more public education about the disease, early screening and better continuity of care to fulfil the anticipated increase of the dementia patient population.