Report calling for national dementia risk reduction campaign published
Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK) has published a new policy report entitled: ‘Closing the dementia awareness gap: why the UK needs a national dementia risk reduction campaign’.
The report includes data from a nationally representative poll of over 5,000 UK adults, with key findings showing:
- Only three out of ten (30%) of respondents to the survey reported that they had heard or seen information on how they could reduce their risk of developing dementia, with the majority of respondents saying they knew very little or nothing at all about what they could do to prevent the onset of the diseases that cause dementia
- Only two-fifths (39%) of adults thought it was possible to reduce dementia risk
- Only 2% of those who attended an NHS Health Check recalled dementia risk being discussed.
The report calls on the UK Government to lead a national dementia risk reduction campaign, delivered by the NHS, as part of a wider, cross‑government effort to prevent ill health. The key messages ARUK are highlighting for this campaign are:
- Up to 45% of dementia cases could be prevented or delayed, but awareness is low and many people don’t believe risk can be reduced.
- The importance of addressing inequalities in dementia awareness and brain-healthy behaviours to ensure disadvantaged groups don’t become further marginalised because they are unaware of how risk can be reduced or how to engage in protective behaviours
- Most people want to know how to reduce their risk and view the NHS and healthcare professionals as the most trusted sources of information
- Messaging should be positive (focused on ‘brain health’), linked to wider health benefits, and provide clear, actionable steps.
You can read the report and/or the executive summary here: https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/about-us/our-influence/policy-work/reports/closing-dementia-awareness-gap-why-uk-needs-national-dementia-risk-reduction-campaign/
The ARUK Think Brain Health website is here: https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/brain-health/think-brain-health/