Department of Primary Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Selayang Campus, Batu Caves 68100, Selangor, Malaysia.
Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, Jalan Hospital, Sungai Buloh 47000, Selangor, Malaysia.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Aug 13;19(16):9995. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19169995.
Primary care doctors (PCDs) play an important role in the early diagnosis and management of dementia. This study aimed to determine the knowledge, attitude, and confidence in managing dementia among PCDs in Malaysia. It also aimed to determine the factors associated with higher confidence levels in dementia management. An online-based cross-sectional study using was performed. Sociodemographic and work-related data were collected, and Dementia Knowledge among General Practitioners & General Practitioners Attitude and Confidence Scale for Dementia questionnaires were utilized to assess the knowledge, attitude, and confidence scores. Multiple linear regression was conducted to determine the association between sociodemographic factors, knowledge, and attitude with the confidence in dementia management score. A total of 239 PCDs participated, with the majority being female (72.4%) and Malay (64.4%) and working in public primary care clinics (67.4%). The mean (±SD) score for confidence was 2.96 (±0.76). Among the factors associated with higher confidence levels in managing dementia were higher dementia knowledge scores, higher attitude towards dementia scores, prior dementia education, and the availability of nearby referral services for dementia. Malaysian PCDs' confidence in dementia management was comparable to the PCDs of other countries. Strategies addressing these factors should be implemented to improve the confidence of PCDs in managing dementia.
初级保健医生（PCD）在痴呆症的早期诊断和管理中发挥着重要作用。本研究旨在确定马来西亚 PCD 对痴呆症的知识、态度和管理信心。还旨在确定与更高的痴呆症管理信心水平相关的因素。采用基于在线的横断面研究方法进行了研究。收集了社会人口统计学和工作相关数据，并使用一般从业者的痴呆症知识和一般从业者对痴呆症的态度和信心量表来评估知识、态度和信心评分。进行了多元线性回归分析，以确定社会人口统计学因素、知识和态度与痴呆症管理信心评分之间的关联。共有 239 名 PCD 参与了研究，其中大多数为女性（72.4%）和马来人（64.4%），在公立初级保健诊所工作（67.4%）。信心的平均（±SD）评分为 2.96（±0.76）。与更高的痴呆症管理信心水平相关的因素包括更高的痴呆症知识评分、更高的痴呆症态度评分、之前的痴呆症教育以及附近的痴呆症转诊服务的可用性。马来西亚 PCD 对痴呆症管理的信心与其他国家的 PCD 相当。应实施针对这些因素的策略，以提高 PCD 对痴呆症管理的信心。
