Fair Hannah, Klekociuk Shannon, Eccleston Claire, Doherty Kathleen, Farrow Maree
Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Health Promot J Austr. 2023 Apr;34(2):561-569. doi: 10.1002/hpja.602. Epub 2022 Apr 17.
Encouraging people to adopt life-long habits that reduce dementia risk is necessary to manage the growing global prevalence of this condition and is, therefore, a global health priority. Current initiatives promoting risk-reducing behaviour primarily attract participants from a limited range of backgrounds, even if widely available. This may inadvertently increase health inequities, as the people who are most likely to develop dementia are the people who are least involved in risk-reduction initiatives. Interpersonal communication can effectively disseminate health messages to demographically diverse populations and may, therefore, broaden the reach of dementia risk-reduction information.
Coding reliability thematic analysis was used to categorise reports of information sharing provided by participants from one global online dementia risk education initiative, the Preventing Dementia Massive Open Online Course, or MOOC. These reports of information sharing were provided in response to the feedback question: "If you have already applied your MOOC learning, please tell us how."
Information was reportedly shared with a wide range of people, including those from demographic groups that are under-represented among Preventing Dementia MOOC participants. Information about specific risk factors was shared, along with general information about the course and/or dementia risk reduction. Some participants also reported that the people they shared information with were initiating risk-reducing behaviours.
Interpersonal communication has the potential to disseminate dementia risk reduction information to, and promote behaviour change among, a broad group of people at risk of dementia, thereby increasing equity in dementia risk education.
鼓励人们养成降低痴呆症风险的终身习惯，对于应对全球范围内这种疾病患病率不断上升的情况至关重要，因此是全球卫生工作的重点。目前促进降低风险行为的举措主要吸引的是背景有限的参与者，即便这些举措广泛可得。这可能会无意中加剧健康不平等，因为最有可能患痴呆症的人群恰恰是参与降低风险举措最少的人群。人际沟通能够有效地向人口构成多样的人群传播健康信息，因此可能会扩大痴呆症风险降低信息的传播范围。
采用编码可靠性主题分析对来自一项全球在线痴呆症风险教育举措“预防痴呆症大规模开放在线课程”（即慕课）的参与者提供的信息分享报告进行分类。这些信息分享报告是针对反馈问题“如果您已经应用了慕课所学内容，请告诉我们您是如何应用的”而提供的。
据报告，信息分享给了广泛的人群，包括在预防痴呆症慕课参与者中代表性不足的人口群体。关于特定风险因素的信息以及有关课程和/或痴呆症风险降低的一般信息都得到了分享。一些参与者还报告说，他们与之分享信息的人开始采取降低风险的行为。
人际沟通有潜力将痴呆症风险降低信息传播给广大有患痴呆症风险的人群，并促进他们的行为改变，从而提高痴呆症风险教育的公平性。
