title: Perception of Alzheimer's disease in the French population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the perception, knowledge, opinions and beliefs about AD in the French population to improve care for patients with Alzheimer's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional telephone survey in 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  French "Alzheimer Plan 2008-2012".
  
  
  METHODS
  2013 respondents, representative of the French population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The respondents answered a questionnaire in which they were presented with a series of attitudinal statements about health in general and AD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Main results are summarized as followed: (a) Respondents think that AD can be devastating for a family (93%). This devastating feeling prevails in the population >75 years old and in people who know patient with AD. (b) General population has a reasonable knowledge about AD, but is still unable to recognize early stages: 95% of respondents considered that difficulties to manage administrative papers and find their way back home suggest early AD. (c) 91% of the population would like to know the diagnosis if they had AD. (d) 38% of the population know or have known at least one patient within their social circle. People think that the care of AD's patient can be better but they trust in the French government to improve it.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  General representation of AD is changing in a positive way and, even though AD is perceived as a calamity, people are confident that solutions will be found in the future.
authors.affiliation: A. Breining, Service de Gériatrie, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, 47-83, Bd de l'Hôpital, 75651 Paris Cedex 13, France, tel: 33 1 42 16 03 78 ; fax: 33 1 42 16 03 25, e-mail: alice.breining@psl.aphp.fr.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Breining
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lavallart
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Léon
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moulias
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arwidson
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Berr
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Verny
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011639:Public Opinion; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone; D055815:Young Adult