Photo Credit:
CARING NEWS.
The survey in Nigeria
(n=500) was conducted face-to-face in respondents' households by
cluster sampling urban populations and randomly selecting households and
individuals within households. The survey questions were fielded on an
omnibus survey. The resulting interviews comprise a probability-based,
representative sample of the urban population of Nigeria. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus approximately 4.4 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence interval.
CHICAGO,
June 19, 2014
/PRNewswire/ -- Alzheimer's is a fatal, progressive disease impacting
at least 44 million people worldwide yet it is widely misunderstood.
According to an Alzheimer's Association® 12-country survey, 59 percent
of people surveyed incorrectly believe that Alzheimer's disease is a
typical part of aging and 40 percent of people believe that Alzheimer's
is not fatal.
During the inaugural Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness
Month this June, the Alzheimer's Association is initiating a global
conversation about the Alzheimer's crisis and asking people around the
world to use their brains to fight the disease. The survey, conducted in
Australia,
Brazil,
Canada,
China,
Denmark,
Germany,
Japan,
India,
Mexico,
Nigeria,
Saudi Arabia and the
United Kingdom,
also found that 37 percent of people surveyed incorrectly believe that
you have to have a family history to be at risk for Alzheimer's disease.
The Alzheimer's Association 2014 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures
report released in March found that nearly a quarter (24%) of Americans
hold the same mistaken belief, despite advancing age being the greatest
risk factor for Alzheimer's. "Alzheimer's is a devastating disease that
slowly robs people of their independence and eventually their lives,"
said
Harry Johns, president and CEO of
the Alzheimer's Association. "Sadly, Alzheimer's disease knows no
bounds. Anyone with a brain is at risk for Alzheimer's disease, so
everyone with a brain should join the fight against it."
Despite lack of
understanding of the severity of Alzheimer's, it is still one of the
most feared diseases. When asked what disease or condition they were
most afraid of getting, a quarter of people selected Alzheimer's (23%),
second only to cancer (42%). When asked what disease or condition they
were most afraid of a loved one getting, a third of people in
Japan (34%),
Canada
(32%) and the UK (33%) selected Alzheimer's. When considering health
priorities, 96 percent of people surveyed said that being
self-sufficient and not depending on others -- an inevitability as
Alzheimer's disease progresses -- is important. Being able to pay for
long-term care (88%) and caring for elderly parents at home (86%) were
also important. These feelings are nearly universal with 98 percent of
Americans saying that being self-sufficient and not depending on others
is important (98%), as is the ability to care for elderly parents at
home (91%) and being able to pay for long-term care (89%), according to
the Alzheimer's Association Facts and Figures report. Government
Responsibility Unless something is done to change its course, worldwide
prevalence of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias will soar to 76
million by 2030 and threaten economies around the globe. A large
majority of people surveyed -- 71 percent -- say that the government is
responsible for helping find a cure or way to prevent Alzheimer's.
"Despite an obvious and large knowledge gap, people around the world
still recognize the threat the Alzheimer's crisis presents and hold
their government accountable for finding a cure and prevention," said
Johns. "In the U.S. and among the G7, federal governments have committed
to preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer's disease by 2025. We
must hold our leaders responsible for investing in the research needed
to realize that goal." Country and Age Breakdown The mistaken belief
that Alzheimer's is a typical part of aging was highest in
India (84%),
Saudi Arabia (81%) and
China (80%). The UK and
Mexico
had the highest recognition that Alzheimer's is not a typical part of
aging (62%), but 37 percent and 38 percent, respectively, were still
misinformed. More than half of people surveyed in
Germany (56%) and
Mexico (55%) and
Brazil
(53%) do not realize that Alzheimer's is fatal. While 40 percent were
misinformed, more people ages 18-34 (60%), 35-44 (61%), and 45-44 (58%)
agreed that Alzheimer's is a fatal disease than people ages 60+ (53%).
Get Involved During Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month, people
around the world will come together on a special day to raise awareness
and funds for the fight against Alzheimer's disease.
On
June 21,
teams will participate in The Longest Day®, a sunrise-to-sunset event
to honor the strength, passion and endurance of those living with
Alzheimer's and their caregivers. To start or join a team, visit
alz.org/thelongestday. Other ways to join the fight against Alzheimer's
disease during June include: Share the facts -- Post and tweet about
Alzheimer's disease and brain risk throughout the month. If you have a
brain, you are at risk for Alzheimer's disease. Be social -- Turn
Facebook purple using an END ALZ graphic as your profile picture. Go
purple -- Wear purple all month but especially on
Saturday, June 21,
the longest day of the year, to support those facing the devastation of
Alzheimer's disease every day. Use your brain to learn about
Alzheimer's disease -- Take the Brain Tour at alz.org (available in 15
languages).
For more information on Alzheimer's disease and the
inaugural Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month, visit alz.org/abam.
Survey Methodology The Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month
International Survey was conducted by Abt SRBI. A total of 6,307 adults
age 18+ were surveyed in local languages
May 22-June 4, 2014 in three modes: Surveys were conducted online by sampling online panels in
Australia (n=500),
Brazil (n=501),
Canada (n=500),
Denmark (n=533),
Germany (n=501),
Japan (n=500),
Mexico (n=502),
Saudi Arabia (n=500), and the
United Kingdom
(n=500). Online panels were sampled in multiple replicates in
proportion to the age and gender demographics of the panels, and quota
ranges were used to limit skews by age and gender. For these online
samples, a credibility interview of plus or minus approximately 5.1
percent is assumed for each country. Surveys were conducted by
telephone by Random-Digit-Dialing (RDD) sampling of landline and mobile
phone households in
China (n=500) and
India
(n=500) by in-country market research agencies under the direction of
Abt SRBI. The survey questions were fielded on an omnibus survey in each
country.
The final samples are probability-based samples but are
demographically skewed. The sample in
China is disproportionately urban and over-represents younger adults. The sample in
India
is almost entirely urban and under represents older adults. The margin
of sampling error for each country is plus or minus approximately 4.4
percentage points at the 95 percent confidence interval.
The survey in
Nigeria
(n=500) was conducted face-to-face in respondents' households by
cluster sampling urban populations and randomly selecting households and
individuals within households. The survey questions were fielded on an
omnibus survey. The resulting interviews comprise a probability-based,
representative sample of the urban population of
Nigeria. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus approximately 4.4 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence interval.
SOURCE Alzheimer's Association