Predictors of dementia knowledge in a rural general public sample.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate dementia knowledge within a rural Australian general public cohort and understand demographic predictors of knowledge in this population. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study comprising quantitative surveys. SETTING: 321 participants were recruited from the Tasmanian general public (February-September 2017). PARTICIPANTS: 28% of participants were from remote or outer regional postcodes; the remainder were from inner regional areas. The median age was 46 years; 35% were male. 30% had participated in prior dementia education, 29% had worked with people living with dementia, and 23% had no identified personal experience of people living with dementia. INTERVENTIONS: No interventions were conducted as part of this study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Dementia knowledge was assessed using the Dementia Knowledge Assessment Scale. Demographic variables were also collected. RESULTS: Mean dementia knowledge was moderate and participants scored highest on the care considerations subscale. Those with personal experience with a person living with dementia scored significantly higher on all subscales, and overall, than those without. Dementia education, general education, and previous work, care or close relationship with people living with dementia were all significant predictors in a regression model explaining nearly a third of the variance in overall dementia knowledge. CONCLUSION: While personal experience of dementia improves knowledge of the condition, dementia education is the most important predictor. Deficits identified in knowledge of risk factors, and incomplete knowledge about aspects important to quality care, suggest a need for further education for the general public, particularly in the light of the rising prevalence of dementia in ageing rural populations.

ERP correlates of attentional processing in spider fear: evidence of threat-specific hypervigilance.

Attentional bias towards threat can be demonstrated by enhanced processing of threat-related targets and/or greater interference when threat-related distractors are present. These effects are argued to reflect processing within the orienting and executive control networks of the brain respectively. This study investigated behavioural (RT) and electrophysiological correlates of early selective attention and top-down attentional control among females with high (n = 16) or low (n = 16) spider fear (Mean age = 22 years). Participants completed a novel flanker go/nogo task in which a central schematic flower or spider stimulus was flanked by either congruent or incongruent distractors. Participants responded to green stimuli (go trials) and withheld response to yellow stimuli (nogo trials). High fear participants demonstrated significantly shorter reaction times and greater P1 amplitude to spider targets, suggesting specific hypervigilance towards threat-relevant stimuli. In contrast to predictions, there was little evidence for behavioural interference effects or differences in N2 amplitude when distractor stimuli were threat-relevant.

The precarious resilience of aged care employees enrolled in an Australian online dementia course: A cross-sectional study of occupational health and well-being.

OBJECTIVE: Australian aged care workforce surveys offer limited information about those who engage in online dementia education regarding their occupational health and well-being. A salutogenic approach was applied to an aged care context to quantitatively assess both positive and negative aspects of health at work to inform the development of workplace interventions tailored to those interested in self-development. METHODS: Physical, psychological and occupational health were measured in an online cross-sectional survey of general health, chronic conditions, psychological distress, positive and negative affect, job satisfaction, access to workplace amenities and turnover intentions of aged care workers undertaking an online dementia course in October 2014. RESULTS: Participants (N = 662) rated their general physical health as good and a minority experienced chronic conditions such as obesity. Overall, workers had average levels of positive and negative affect and low distress. However, 25% were likely to have a mental health condition. While most were employed on a permanent basis (80%) and reported moderate job satisfaction, 18% were likely to leave their job. There were some gaps in workplace amenities to support health and well-being: for example, 13% reported no access to lunch break areas. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest precarious resilience in aged care workers enrolled in an Australian online dementia course. Workplace interventions that focus on preventative health strategies are required to address the health risks associated with higher than national averages of obesity and mental health, and reduce exposure of workers to physical and psychological harms.