Anticipated Stigma and Dementia-Related Anxiety in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Molly Maxfield, Jeff Greenberg

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Heightened awareness and perceived negativity of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) may increase health-related concerns about developing ADRD, also called dementia-related anxiety. Anticipating greater levels of ADRD stigma was expected to be associated with greater dementia-related anxiety. Middle-aged and older adults (N = 183, aged 40-80, M = 59.57) responded to online questionnaires about anticipated ADRD stigma, ADRD exposure, dementia-related anxiety, and potential psychosocial correlates of dementia-related anxiety. Multivariate regression analyses revealed that self-perceived ADRD risk, ADRD exposure, and anticipated stigma remained significantly associated with dementia-related anxiety, after controlling for demographic variables. Reducing ADRD stigma may ease dementia-related anxiety, an area for future research.

Original languageEnglish (US)
JournalGeroPsych: The Journal of Gerontopsychology and Geriatric Psychiatry
DOIs
StateAccepted/In press - 2020
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • ADRD exposure
  • anticipated ADRD stigma
  • dementia-related anxiety
  • self-perceived dementia risk

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Gerontology
  • Geriatrics and Gerontology

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