Dementia through the eyes of society: knowledge, fear and stigma perceived by residents of Yakutia

The study is devoted to studying the level of awareness of residents of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) about dementia. 328 residents of Yakutia (81,7% women, 18,3% men) were involved in this survey. It was found that the population of Yakutia has basic knowledge about dementia, however significant gaps in understanding of nature, symptoms, age characteristics and disease prevention are preserved. The findings revealed that 68,0% of respondents were able to distinguish between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, However, even among medical professionals, 13,8% mistakenly regarded dementia as a natural part of aging. A high level of self-stigma was revealed: 46% of participants would prefer to hide the diagnosis if it concerned them personally. The data highlight the high social relevance of dementia, not only as a clinical condition but also as one that elicits emotional and behavioral responses within society. These findings can serve as a foundation for developing research methodologies aimed at investigating dementia-related stigma, involving both individuals with dementia and their caregivers.