Overview
The burden of dementia is rising on the African continent, with prevalence ranging from two to twenty percent. Primary health care is the first point of medical care for more than 80% of the Nigeria population, and the majority of primary health care providers are non-physicians. Most of the elderly persons in Nigeria reside in rural communities where they are usually cared for, by members of their extended families. This study aims to determine the current level of dementia knowledge, attitudes, and practices among non-physician primary healthcare providers in the Ohaozara area of Southeast Nigeria.
Project Details
The SEED Project is a cross-sectional survey to determine the current dementia knowledge, attitudes and practices among primary healthcare providers in Southeast Nigeria. We are deploying total sampling method of an estimated study population of 120 primary healthcare providers. Questionnaires will include questions from the Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale, Dementia Knowledge Assessment Scale and Dementia Attitude Scale. An information pamphlet explaining the aims and benefits of the study will be printed and shared among the potential respondents to minimize non-response. Data collection and analysis will be done using the chisquares.com software.
We expect the results to reveal a low level of knowledge about the risk factors, potential causes, symptoms, and signs of dementia among the study population. The findings may also indicate that non-physician primary healthcare providers do not perform cognitive assessments on people showing signs of cognitive impairment. However, positive attitudes towards persons with dementia are anticipated. The study is expected to provide valuable information on current dementia-related practices and identify gaps in knowledge and skills.
The results will be disseminated among health workers, local government authorities, and the scientific community through presentations and publications. Respondents will be sensitized about dementia, and appropriate answers will be provided to the questions in the study questionnaire. Ultimately, these findings will help bridge existing knowledge gaps, inform the planning of in-depth qualitative research, support policy advocacy, and potentially justify scaling up the study to a national survey in Nigeria.
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