Wandark Filho Ivo, Ferraz Segundo Zenildo Ernesto, Cordeiro Fraga Arthur Felipe, Carnielli Tebet Maria Letícia, Ribas Izidro Gomes Eduardo, Abrantes da Fonte Eduardo Jorge
School of Medicine, Faculdade Pernambucana de Saúde (FPS), Recife, BRA.
School of Medicine, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, BRA.
Cureus. 2023 Sep 15;15(9):e45294. doi: 10.7759/cureus.45294. eCollection 2023 Sep.
Aging is no longer a phenomenon for society; it has become a reality in all countries, leading to a notable increase in the prevalence of dementia, a common condition among the elderly population. This situation highlights the importance of adequately preparing future healthcare professionals with the necessary knowledge and attitudes to effectively care for dementia patients.
This study aims to describe the knowledge and attitudes toward dementia among fifth- and sixth-year medical students at a prestigious medical school in Recife, Brazil.
A descriptive, analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in which participants answered questionnaires related to epidemiological and educational data of the involved students, the assessment of the sample's knowledge regarding dementia, and addressing attitude toward a patient with dementia. Data collection took place online, targeting fifth- and sixth-year medical students at the Faculdade Pernambucana de Saúde (FPS).
A total of 111 students participated in the study, with a majority of females (73.9%), most of them in the fifth year of medical school (79.3%). While the majority of the students received training during their undergraduate studies on cognitive changes related to dementia (58.6%), this knowledge was mostly theoretical (64%), and only a few students took extracurricular courses on the subject (7.2%). Regarding the questionnaire evaluating students' knowledge, the overall mean was 6.69 points (on a scale of 0-14). Notably, there was no significant difference in correct answers among the tested areas of epidemiology, diagnosis, and management, with percentages of correct answers of 49.8%, 45.27%, and 52.53%, respectively. As for their attitudes toward dementia, the majority of students responded in a manner consistent with current literature and best practices for managing patients with functional dependence and cognitive changes.
The results indicate that despite the notable rise in dementia cases across the world, the study revealed that the participants lacked essential knowledge about dementia. However, most of them demonstrated attitudes aligned with the best practices for managing dementia patients and their families. These data may suggest the need for greater attention in the teaching-learning process on the part of the medical school, as well as the promotion of extracurricular activities on this topic, in addition to enhancing the promotion of practical activities in geriatrics.
老龄化已不再仅仅是一种社会现象；它在所有国家都已成为现实，导致痴呆症患病率显著上升，痴呆症是老年人群中的常见病症。这种情况凸显了让未来的医疗保健专业人员具备有效护理痴呆症患者所需知识和态度的重要性。
本研究旨在描述巴西累西腓一所著名医学院的五年级和六年级医学生对痴呆症的知识和态度。
开展了一项描述性、分析性横断面研究，参与者回答了与所涉学生的流行病学和教育数据相关的问卷，对样本关于痴呆症的知识进行评估，并探讨对痴呆症患者的态度。数据收集通过在线方式进行，目标是伯南布哥健康学院（FPS）的五年级和六年级医学生。
共有111名学生参与了该研究，其中大多数为女性（73.9%），大多数处于医学院五年级（79.3%）。虽然大多数学生在本科学习期间接受了与痴呆症相关的认知变化方面的培训（58.6%），但这些知识大多是理论性的（64%），只有少数学生参加了关于该主题的课外课程（7.2%）。关于评估学生知识的问卷，总体平均分为6.69分（满分0 - 14分）。值得注意的是，在流行病学、诊断和管理等测试领域的正确答案之间没有显著差异，正确答案的百分比分别为49.8%、45.27%和52.53%。至于他们对痴呆症患者的态度，大多数学生的回答与当前关于管理功能依赖和认知变化患者的文献及最佳实践一致。
结果表明，尽管全球痴呆症病例显著增加，但研究显示参与者缺乏关于痴呆症的基本知识。然而，他们中的大多数人表现出与管理痴呆症患者及其家属的最佳实践一致的态度。这些数据可能表明医学院在教学过程中需要给予更多关注，以及推广关于该主题的课外活动，此外还要加强老年医学实践活动的推广。
