Relationships among dementia knowledge, attitudes, sense of community, and helping intentions: a case study of Taipei City
Journal
Taiwan Journal of Public Health
Journal Volume
44
Journal Issue
6
Start Page
609
End Page
620
Date Issued
2025-01-01
Author(s)
Abstract
Objectives: With the acceleration of global population aging, dementia has become a major public health concern. Taiwan is rapidly transitioning into a super-aged society, with a growing number of individuals with dementia living in community settings. The public's dementia literacy and attitudes play a critical role in fostering dementia-friendly environments. However, relevant empirical studies remain limited. Accordingly, using a sample of Taipei residents aged 18 years or older, this study investigated the relationships among dementia knowledge, attitudes, sense of community, and intentions to engage in helping behaviors toward individuals with dementia. Furthermore, it examined the mediating role of attitudes and the moderating effect of community awareness. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey, which yielded 3,259 valid responses from residents of 12 Taipei districts. The questionnaire comprised the Dementia Knowledge Assessment Scale-Simplified, the Dementia Attitudes Scale-6, the Sense of Community Index 2, measures of prosocial behavioral intentions toward individuals with dementia, and questions on demographic variables. Results: Dementia knowledge, attitudes, sense of community, and intentions to help were all positively correlated. Attitudes fully mediated the relationship between knowledge and behavioral intentions. A sense of community enhanced helping intentions and slightly weakened the effect of attitudes on behavioral intentions. Conclusions: Enhancing public knowledge of dementia and strengthening individuals’ comfort and capacity to adopt a positive attitude when interacting with people with dementia are both crucial for promoting dementia-friendly behaviors. Additionally, fostering a supportive community environment is crucial. To promote a more dementia-inclusive society, policymakers should prioritize public education and community engagement.
Publisher
Taiwan Public Health Association
Type
journal article