Dementia risk awareness, health behaviors and motivation for dementia prevention in middle-aged and older adults in Türkiye

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate factors influencing motivation for dementia preventive behaviors in a population aged 40 and over. We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study between December 2022 and May 2023, involving 483 participants in an online survey. We collected data on dementia risk awareness, healthy lifestyle choices, and motivation for dementia risk reduction. The majority of respondents, comprising 41.6%, demonstrated a moderate level of risk awareness, with 50.5% believing that prevention is beyond anyone's control. Motivations for lifestyle change were significantly higher in women (p < .001) and `participants with university degree education (p < .05). Regression analysis identified gender (female), education level (higher education), and dementia risk awareness, emerged as significant predictors of motivation to change lifestyle (beta: .138, beta: .136, beta: .114, p < .001, respectively). This study underscores the importance of risk awareness in motivating dementia prevention, suggesting avenues for future research to explore specific determinants of motivation to reduce dementia risks.