@article {9144, title = {The influence of psychosocial and cognitive factors on perceived threat of Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s Disease}, journal = {American Journal of Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s Disease \& Other Dementias}, volume = {32}, year = {2017}, pages = {289-299}, abstract = {This study explored psychosocial and cognitive predictors of perceived threat of Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s disease (AD). Respondents were 1641 adults (mean age: 64.4; 54\% female; 82\% white) who completed a module in the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative survey of adults aged >=50. Findings show that perceived threat was significantly higher for those aged 50 to 64 (P < .001) and 65 to 74 (P < .05) than for those >=75. Respondents with a family history of AD had significantly greater perceived threat (P < .001) than those with no experience. Stronger endorsement of the beliefs that stress (P < .01) or genetics (P < .01) are important AD risk factors was significantly associated with greater perceived threat, as was having more depressive symptoms (P < .01), poorer self-rated memory (P < .01), and lower cognitive function (P < .01). Personal experience moderated the relationship between perceived threat and 2 variables: age and self-rated memory. Understanding perceived AD threat may inform practice and policies centered on early and accurate diagnosis.}, keywords = {Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s disease, Perception, Psychosocial}, issn = {1533-3175}, doi = {10.1177/1533317517714552}, url = {http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1533317517714552}, author = {Jenny E Ostergren and Steven G Heeringa and Carlos F. Mendes de Leon and Cathleen M. Connell and J Scott Roberts} } @mastersthesis {9286, title = {Perceived Threat of Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s Disease and Help-seeking Behavior in Older Adults with Memory Complaints}, volume = {Doctor of Philosophy}, year = {2017}, pages = {175}, school = {University of Michigan}, type = {Dissertation}, address = {Ann Arbor, MI}, abstract = {Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s disease (AD) is a chronic disorder with a high burden of suffering for affected individuals, their caregivers, families, and communities. An increased emphasis on early AD detection may benefit affected individuals and their caregivers, especially where disparities already exist in health care and outcomes, but may also unnecessarily heighten perceived AD threat among healthy older adults. Relatively few studies have examined predictors of perceived AD threat and help-seeking behavior among a large and diverse sample that is broadly representative of the U.S. adult population. Informed by health behavior theory, my dissertation 1) identifies factors that influence formal help-seeking for memory complaints through a systematic review of the literature, 2) examines psychosocial and cognitive predictors of perceived AD threat, an understudied construct related to help-seeking, among a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults from the Health and Retirement Study, and 3) explores demographic, health care access, and health status predictors of help-seeking among older adults with memory complaints using Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data. Findings from the systematic review suggest that individual, interpersonal, and structural/policy level factors each play a key role in help-seeking. Multivariate analyses of perceived AD threat revealed that perceived threat was significantly higher for respondents aged 50-64 and 65-74 than for those over 75. Higher perceived threat was also associated with a family history of AD (compared to no experience), stronger beliefs that stress or genetics are important AD risk factors, more depressive symptoms, poorer self-rated memory, and lower cognitive function. Respondents with lower education levels were significantly less likely to seek help. Those who reported more memory-related functional difficulty, more frequent days of poor mental health, and having a primary care provider, were more likely to seek help. These findings highlight the need for education and community outreach to raise awareness about early dementia symptoms, provide specific factors that health care providers should consider in clinical encounters, and highlight the need for careful initial cognitive screening of individuals with memory complaints. These findings also provide insight about the help-seeking process, and a starting point for interventions aimed at increasing timely AD diagnosis and treatment. }, keywords = {Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s disease, Cognitive Ability, Memory}, url = {https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/handle/2027.42/136998}, author = {Jenny E Ostergren} }