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K
nowledge
and
attitudes
towards
dementia
among
final
-
year
medical
students
in
B
razil
R
ev
A
ssoc
M
ed
B
ras
2017; 63(4):366-370
369
other study
8
found that general practitioners presented a
low level of knowledge in dementia and in that same study
they obtained worse scores in questions of epidemiology
and found that poorer general knowledge in dementia was
associated with less communication of the dementia diag-
nosis to the patients. Based on this, the authors concluded
that educational support should be concentrated on epi-
demiological knowledge. Thus, the possibility may be con-
sidered that, in prior studies, if the students herein evalu-
ated, upon commencing as professionals, would maintain
open communication with their patients as was shown in
“attitude four” in which 71 (46.71%) of the students agreed
that “Providing a diagnosis generally is more useful than
harmful,” demonstrating a positive attitude in relation to
communication with demented patients.
Most of the students demonstrated a positive attitude
toward AD patients, a fact corroborated by previous studies
that found an association between diagnostic competence
(related to knowledge) and positive general attitudes.
8,16,17
Despite the expressive increase in this social and pro-
fessional demand worldwide, little has been accomplished
in relation to the training of professionals in dementia.
18
A study involving 14 European countries found that little
has been done in relation to the training of professionals
in dementia and that, in many countries, there are no
educational programs directed toward this matter nor
financial support.
19
Based on this premise, aging-related
diseases must be part of the curriculum of medical students
recommended in the curricular correspondence matrix.
20,21
Training of these professionals is of vital importance, and
must focus on the attitudes of medical students, which
are molded during their years of training, given that such
attitudes have great impact on the care provided to el-
derly patients when they become health professionals.
Thus, so that these professionals may diagnose and treat
adequately, it becomes necessary that they have greater
proximity to the care of demented seniors.
22
Some limitations must be considered: only two med-
ical schools were analyzed among 268 throughout Brazil;
23
the curricula were not analyzed in detail; the specific in-
strument utilized in our research cannot cover the ques-
tions and attitudes considered in the most exhaustive
and adequate manner possible. In this manner, the com-
parisons made must be analyzed with caution as they deal
with different populations (students in their final year of
medical school versus graduated physicians), keeping in
TABLE 3
Distribution of attitudes towards dementia.
Attitudes
Agree
completely (1)
Agree (2) Neither agree
nor disagree (3)
Disagree (4) Disagree
completely (5)
1. Much can be done to improve the quality of
life of caregivers of persons with dementia
106
(69.74%)
42
(27.63%)
4
(2.63%)
–
–
2. The families prefer to be informed about the
dementia of their relative as rapidly as possible
55
(36.18%)
61
(40.13%)
29
(19.08%)
6
(3.95%)
1
(0.66%)
3. Much can be done to improve the quality of
life of persons with dementia
97
(63.82%)
53
(34.87%)
2
(1.32%)
–
–
4. Providing the diagnosis is generally more
useful than harmful
71
(46.71%)
69
(45.39%)
10
(6.58%)
2
(1.32%)
–
5. Dementia is better diagnosed in specialized
service units
45
(29.61%)
59
(38.82%)
29
(19.08%)
18
(11.84%)
1
(0.66%)
6. The patients with dementia can drain resources
with little positive result
5
(3.33%)
39
(26%)
42
(28%)
55
(36.67%)
9
(6%)
7. It is better to speak with the patient utilizing
euphemisms
-
3
(1.97%)
27
(17.76%)
87
(57.24%)
35
(23.03%)
8. Treating dementia tends to be more frustrating
than gratifying
3
(2.01%)
18
(12.08%)
49
(32.89%)
66
(44.30%)
13
(8.72%)
9. Directing families to specialized services is
not worth the effort when they do not want to
use them
1
(0.66%)
25
(16.56%)
37
(24.50%)
73
(48.39%)
15
(9.93%)
10. The primary care team has a very limited role in
the care of persons with dementia
3
(1.97%)
12
(7.89%)
15
(9.87%)
77
(50.66%)
45
(29.61%)