title: Social Representation of Dementia and Its Influence on the Search for Early Care by Family Member Caregivers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Social representations (SRs) contain 3 dimensions: information, attitude, and field. These affect the recognition of the first symptoms of dementia by the patient's caregiver. This study focused on the period from the first signs of cognitive difficulties to the diagnosis of dementia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight caregivers of elderly patients with dementia were interviewed to construct their SRs regarding dementia and how this influences seeking medical treatment during the first stages of the disease. Social representations were analyzed through a structural focus, based on the content analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Decision making is related to knowledge about dementia, attitude (emotions and sensitivity), and the concept of the caregiver about the relative with dementia. The results confirm the importance of the symbolic dimension of personal experience in managing care and seeking medical treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of dementia in the family creates interpersonal dilemmas that caregivers experience. The solutions are framed in the sociocultural context.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiologic and Health Service Research Unit, Aging Area, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Mexico, DF, Mexico teresa.juarez@imss.gob.mx.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Juárez-Cedillo
authors.affiliation: Doctorate of Science in Collective Health Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Xochimilco, Mexico, DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Edgar C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Jarillo-Soto
authors.affiliation: National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Mexico, DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rosas-Carrasco
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care
keywords: Mexicans; caregiving; dementia; qualitative; social representations