Black and white adult family members' attitudes toward a dementia diagnosis.
OBJECTIVE
To examine potential benefits of and barriers to diagnosis from the perspective of black and white adults directly affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD).


METHODS
Telephone survey.


METHODS
Convenience sample recruited from two U.S. metropolitan areas.


METHODS
One hundred seventy-eight family members of people with AD, including current and former AD caregivers and immediate blood relatives of someone with AD.


METHODS
Respondents were asked to rate the importance of eight benefits of and 16 barriers to obtaining a diagnosis.


RESULTS
Family members strongly endorse several benefits of obtaining a diagnosis, including getting information, finding out what is wrong with their relative, and prompting future planning. A majority of survey respondents did not endorse any barriers examined. Lack of a cure for AD and the belief that little can be done for someone with AD were the most frequently endorsed barriers. Black respondents endorsed five of the eight benefits more frequently than white respondents.


CONCLUSIONS
Black and white adults with a family member who has received an diagnosis of AD perceive a range of benefits and few barriers to the diagnostic process examined in this study. Their positive experiences might be instructive to families considering pursuing a diagnosis and to physicians who may be reluctant to offer screening or referral because of the belief that families have little to gain.
Connell
Cathleen M
CM
Department of Health Behavior, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 109 South Observatory Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. cathleen@umich.edu
Roberts
J Scott
JS
McLaughlin
Sara J
SJ
Carpenter
Brian D
BD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D001290:Attitude; D044383:Black People / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003625:Data Collection; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014342:Truth Disclosure; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*
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