Assessing dementia knowledge among nursing students in Tanzania: Gaps, strengths, and educational implications

Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing rapid population aging alongside a rising burden of dementia, placing growing pressure on health systems with limited resources. Nurses, often the frontline providers for older adults in these settings, require adequate preparation in dementia care – yet this preparedness remains poorly understood among pre-service nursing students in the region. This study assessed dementia knowledge and its associated factors among nursing students in Tanzania to inform pre-service education and workforce development. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 302 diploma- and bachelor-level nursing students using the 25-item Dementia Knowledge Assessment Scale (DKAS). Students demonstrated a moderate overall knowledge level (52.4%), with notable strengths in care considerations (71.8%) alongside significant gaps in communication (40.5%) and understanding of causes and risk factors (42.7%). Bachelor-level education and prior clinical exposure to patients with dementia were significantly associated with higher knowledge scores. These findings underscore the need for targeted curriculum reforms, evidence-based pedagogical strategies, and structured clinical exposure within pre-service nursing education to better prepare graduates for delivering person-centered dementia care to aging populations in Sub-Saharan Africa.