title: Medical students' attitudes toward people with dementia: an international investigation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The changing demographics of societies mean that medical students worldwide must be sufficiently prepared to care competently for patients with dementia through development of appropriate knowledge, skills, and attitudes. No previous research had explored undergraduate medical students' attitudes toward people with dementia.
  
  
  METHODS
  An adapted version of the Approaches to Dementia Questionnaire (ADQ) was completed by 501 medical undergraduates in years 1, 3, and 5 of their degree programs in the UK and Malaysia. Non-parametric statistical analysis focused on any differences between year groups and geographical locations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean ADQ response indicated a generally positive attitude across the sample, comparable with other healthcare professionals previously surveyed. Year 3 and year 5 students expressed significantly more positive attitudes than year 1 students. Year 1 students based in the UK expressed significantly more positive attitudes than year 1 student based in Malaysia, but there were no significant differences between year 3 students based in different locations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The more positive attitudes found amongst year 3 and year 5 students compared to year 1 may be a result of teaching emphasizing a person-centered approach. The differences between entry-level students from Malaysia and the UK may reflect variance in cultural norms and expectations, or the ADQ's "Western" origin. Medical schools aiming to equip students with dementia-specific skills and knowledge can draw on the generally positive attitudes found in this study.
authors.affiliation: Newcastle National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre in Ageing, Newcastle University, UK.
authors.forename: Ellen StClair
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Tullo
authors.forename: Tony Johnstone
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology