Identification, emotional reactions, and perceived threat to persons with Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

Background/rationale: The identification of Alzheimers Disease (AD), the emotional reactions, and the perceived threat to AD were compared across 3 Greek samples: 147 primary care health professionals (PCHPs), 74 health and social service graduate students, and 99 laypersons. Within the group of PCHPs, physicians, nurses, and social workers were compared. The factors associated with emotional reactions were examined. Finally, the Emotional Reactions Scales (ERS) latent structure was validated. Methods: The participants were asked to identify the disease of a vignette, respond to the ERS and in 3 indices of perceived threat. Results: The PCHPs identified AD equally accurate to laypersons. Students and laypersons reported the most intense emotions. Social workers perceived higher consequences than physicians and nurses. Age, personal experience, education, and perceived concern predicted emotional reactions. Conclusions: Findings underscore the importance of implementing education and training actions to increase AD identification, reduce negative emotions, and further advance care for patients. © Author(s) 2012.