Redefining the Use of Digital Communities: AD Knowledge in an Online Educated Cohort of Midlife and Older Blacks

Abstract

The normalization of memory loss continues to contribute to diagnostic delays among older adult African Americans with dementia. We utilized an innovative recruitment method to establish a solely online study to examine perceptions and knowledge levels of Alzheimer’s Disease in a highly educated geographically diverse cohort of 223 African Americans aged 50-84. Participants were recruited through largely electronic communications. Sample participants were primarily female (n=196), with 51.1% having completed a master’s degree, and 58.2% of participants with household incomes of $90,000 or higher. Study findings revealed that although highly educated, 42% of sample participants believed significant memory loss was a normal part of aging and 59.6% felt that God’s Will was a possible cause of AD. A sizable majority of participants, 86.5%, felt most family physicians were not trained to diagnose AD. Findings underscore the need for physician and community education within diverse populations, regardless of education and SES status.