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Knowledge and attitudes about dementia and dementia genetics in a cohort of geriatric clinic attendees in Nigeria
David Oluwasayo Babalola, Boluwatife Adeleye Adewale, Kenechukwu Franklin Okwunze, Tahir Mohammed, Ifeoluwa Oluwasegun Oduguwa, Hilda Amauche Igwe, Temitope Farombi, Rufus Akinyemi. Journal of Alzheimer s Disease, 2025-04-22
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
BackgroundPopulation ageing in Africa will increase the burden of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias within the next few decades. Despite the potential for discovery of novel genetic risks in African populations, there is still a paucity of dementia genetic research among indigenous Africans.ObjectiveWe aimed to investigate the knowledge and attitudes of elderly population in Nigeria about dementia and dementia genetics.MethodsOne hundred clinic attendees (aged ≥60 years) recruited at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria were surveyed using an interviewer-administered questionnaire consisting of the Dementia Knowledge Assessment Scale (DKAS) and other items assessing knowledge and attitudes about dementia genetics.ResultsThe mean age (±SD) of participants was 71.0 (±7.1) years, and the mean (±SD) DKAS score was 8.87 (±10.84). Only 10% were considered to have good knowledge of dementia (i.e., DKAS score ≥26). Attempts by participants to translate "dementia" in their local languages revealed misleading themes in their perception of the condition. Of the 42 participants who claimed to know what dementia is, 32 (76.2%) of them had poor knowledge (i.e., DKAS <26). Twenty-one participants were aware of the existence of genetic risk factors for dementia, but none could name a dementia risk gene. Seventy participants expressed willingness to undergo genetic testing to assess their risk of dementia.ConclusionsThere is a poor level of knowledge about dementia and dementia genetics among the elderly population in Nigeria. Public health education and community engagement is important for maximizing the impact of dementia genetic studies in Africa.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Babalola, D. O., Adewale, B. A., Okwunze, K. F., Mohammed, T., Oduguwa, I. O., Igwe, H. A., et al. (2025). Knowledge and attitudes about dementia and dementia genetics in a cohort of geriatric clinic attendees in Nigeria. Journal of Alzheimer s Disease. https://doi.org/10.1177/13872877251333816
Vancouver
Babalola DO, Adewale BA, Okwunze KF, Mohammed T, Oduguwa IO, Igwe HA, et al. Knowledge and attitudes about dementia and dementia genetics in a cohort of geriatric clinic attendees in Nigeria. Journal of Alzheimer s Disease. 2025. doi:10.1177/13872877251333816. PMID: 40261356.
BibTeX
@article{babalola2025-40261356,
author = {Babalola, David Oluwasayo and Adewale, Boluwatife Adeleye and Okwunze, Kenechukwu Franklin and Mohammed, Tahir and Oduguwa, Ifeoluwa Oluwasegun and Igwe, Hilda Amauche and Farombi, Temitope and Akinyemi, Rufus},
title = {{Knowledge and attitudes about dementia and dementia genetics in a cohort of geriatric clinic attendees in Nigeria}},
journal = {Journal of Alzheimer s Disease},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1177/13872877251333816},
pmid = {40261356},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1177/13872877251333816}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Attempts by participants to translate "dementia" in their local languages revealed misleading themes in their perception of the condition.
Why it matters
This survey in Nigeria found that only 10% of participants had good knowledge of dementia, with misleading themes in local language translations and none able to name a dementia risk gene. It highlights the need for improved dementia education and genetic research in African populations.
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Study details
- Participants42
- Effect size76.2%
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 43/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Alzheimer s Disease) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of Alzheimer s Disease: journal h-index 218 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 42 participants |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 5 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 5 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Rufus Akinyemi: h-index 71 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | University of Ibadan: institution h-index 333 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40261356) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 43 / 100 | — |
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