Practice of Information Seeking on Dementia and the Positioning of Public Libraries in Japan

ABSTRACT Japan has the largest ageing population worldwide, with increased numbers of people living with dementia. Dementia legislation aims to disseminate accurate information about dementia, starting with public libraries. However, the policies' effectiveness has not been examined. Therefore, this study analysed how people obtain information about dementia and investigated the significance of disseminating such information in public libraries. An online survey was conducted with 516 people who had cared for someone living with dementia or mild cognitive impairment and who had searched for dementia information at least once in the past year. The respondents often searched online for dementia‐related information, including symptoms and mechanisms. The reliability and accessibility of public libraries were lower than those of hospitals and administrative bodies, but the psychological barriers to obtaining information from public libraries were low. However, some respondents could not find materials about dementia in public libraries, suggesting a need for dementia support services.