title: Awareness Status of Chronic Disabling Neurological Diseases among Elderly Veterans.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The awareness, treatment and prevention of chronic diseases are generally poor among the elderly population of China, whereas the prevention and control of chronic diseases in elderly veteran communities have been ongoing for more than 30 years. Therefore, investigating the awareness status of chronic disabling neurological diseases (CDND) and common chronic diseases (CCD) among elderly veterans may provide references for related programs among the elderly in the general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was conducted among veterans ≥60 years old in veteran communities in Beijing. The awareness of preventive strategies against dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), sleep disorders, cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and CCD such as hypertension, and the approaches used to access this information, including media, word of mouth (verbal communication among the elderly) and health care professionals, were investigated via face-to-face interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The awareness rates for CCD and CVD were approximately 100%, but that for AD was the lowest at <10%. The awareness rates for sleep disorders, PD and dementia, were 51.0-89.4%. Media was the most commonly selected mode of communication by which veterans acquired knowledge about CCD and CVD. Media was used by approximately 80% of veterans. Both health care professionals and word of mouth were used by approximately 50% of veterans. With respect to the source of information about CDND excluding AD, the rates of the use of health care professionals, word of mouth and media were 10.6-28.2%, 56.5-76.5%, and approximately 50%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The awareness of CDND among elderly veterans was significantly lower than that of CCD. More information about CDND should be disseminated by health care professionals. Appropriate guidance will promote the rapid and extensive dissemination of information about the prevention of CDND by media and word-of-mouth peer education.
authors.forename: Ji-Ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Lin-Qi
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shi-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiao-Yang
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Yu-Cheng
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Ying-Hao
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Guang-Hua
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Neurology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: Lu-Ning
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001364:Awareness / Q000502:physiology; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data