Science Newsline Medicine: Survey Finds Reducing Stigma Attributed to Alzheimer’s Is Vital to Prevention Research

“Stigma associated with Alzheimer’s disease may be an obstacle for individuals to seek information about their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and to participate in clinical studies that discover potential therapies. That’s according to the results of a national survey about what beliefs, attitudes and expectations are most often associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The survey results are published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association. ‘We found that concerns about discrimination and overly harsh judgments about the severity of symptoms were most prevalent,’ said Shana Stites, Psy.D., from the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. ‘By understanding what the biggest concerns are about the disease, we can help develop programs and policies to reduce the stigma about Alzheimer’s disease.'” Read more at Science Newsline Medicine.