While the search for a cure for dementia continues, there are many everyday actions people can take that support their health, protect their brain and reduce their risk of developing dementia.
Too often, though, people aren’t getting this information — or get it far too late. That’s why Alzheimer’s Research UK is calling on the UK government to lead a clear, positive national campaign sharing information about brain health and dementia risk reduction, delivered through the NHS.
Our report, Closing the Dementia Awareness Gap, sets out why it’s important that people can easily find information about how to reduce their risk of dementia. Based on insights gathered from a national poll of more than 5,000 people in the UK and four focus groups, the report also sets out what the government needs to do to improve how this information is shared through the healthcare system.
What will an effective risk reduction campaign look like?
Right now, many people do not know that it is possible to reduce their risk of dementia.
Just three out of ten (30%) respondents to the survey reported they had heard or seen information on how they can reduce their risk of developing dementia.
Many respondents said they knew very little or nothing at all about what they could do to prevent the onset of the diseases that cause dementia.
The survey showed strong support for government action to improve access to dementia prevention information: most people wanted help to understand how to look after their brain, and they trust the NHS to provide that advice.
What respondents to the survey said they preferred was clear, upbeat information that focuses on practical steps people can take in everyday life. Our own Think Brain Health webpage provides just this sort of advice.
Alzheimer’s Research UK is calling for a focused campaign around risk reduction led by the NHS that helps people understand that dementia is not an inevitable part of ageing.
Such a campaign could close the dementia awareness gap and strengthen prevention. It would explain how actions, such as keeping active, eating well and managing heart health, can help protect the brain.
Respondents to the survey told us that they’d like to see advice be easy to understand, repeated often, and set out in straightforward checklists that people can refer back to.
To reach everyone, messages should appear in places people already use and trust, such as GP surgeries, during NHS Health Checks, on television, social media, and in community and faith settings. The campaign should also sit alongside wider health plans, not be a standalone effort.
Finally, government should regularly check how well the campaign is working, who it is reaching, and where more needs to be done. Government oversight will help make sure the campaign is fair, effective, and truly helps people turn information into action.
What the public told us
As part of our Closing the Awareness Gap report, we asked people across the UK what they know about reducing dementia risk, where they get their information, and who they trust to provide it.
Only two-fifths (39%) of adults thought it was possible to reduce dementia risk, and around a third (30%) reported seeing information on how to do this. For many people, knowledge about dementia was shaped more by fear and a belief that the condition cannot be treated.
Most respondents told us they want more information on prevention, and many looked to the NHS as a trusted source.
Nearly two thirds (60%) of those surveyed said they would like to receive advice on reducing dementia risk through the NHS Health Check.
However, only 2% of those who attended a Health Check recalled dementia risk being discussed.
Respondents said they trusted the NHS and GPs far more than any other source for health advice: more than four in every five people see them as the most trusted messengers, especially among people aged 45 to 64, an age when acting to reduce risks can make the biggest difference later in life.
Many also felt that the government has a role to play, with strong support for national action to raise awareness.
We also heard that the way information is shared really matters:
Younger adults said they were most likely to see and engage with information on social media, while older adults and those less confident online said television works better for them.
Together, these views point to a clear opportunity: people want to act to reduce their risk of dementia, and they trust the NHS to lead on disseminating the relevant prevention information – therefore we are calling on government for a clear, positive national campaign on brain health and dementia risk reduction.