Racial Disparities in Memory Failure Attribution to AD and its Effect on Hypothetical Help-Seeking Behaviors

Abstract

As the number of Americans living beyond the age of 85 increases, we can expect to see an increase in the health issues that directly affect this population, such as dementia. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, and it is a top ten leading cause of death within the U.S. Since there is no cure for AD, early detection is essential in enhancing treatment effectiveness before symptoms become too severe. African Americans are twice as likely as non-Hispanic whites to develop AD; however, research has shown that compared to non-Hispanic whites, African Americans tend to seek out AD evaluations later and present with more debilitating symptoms. Prior research revealed that African Americans, more so than non-Hispanic whites, tend to attribute memory failures—a hallmark sign of AD—to “normal aging” which reduces their help-seeking behaviors. This research aimed to identify the differences between African American and non-Hispanic white everyday memory failure appraisals, and how this appraisal influences their intended help-seeking behaviors. In this present study, the primary predicting variables were AD concern, memory failure frequency, and help-seeking intentions. Furthermore, the influence of having family members or close friends with the disease was examined, in order to better understand what drives the racial discrepancy seen among help-seeking behaviors. It was hypothesized that memory failure attribution would mediate the expected relationship between ethnicity and help-seeking behaviors. Additionally, it was hypothesized that familial/personal AD experience would moderate this relationship. Utilizing an online survey, data was collected from 501 African American and non-Hispanic whites. Results indicated that non-Hispanic whites were significantly more concerned about AD than African Americans. Furthermore, ethnicity and familial/personal AD experience together significantly predicted greater memory failure attributions to AD. However, the hypothesized mediation effect was not supported. African Americans often go understudied in empirical research, as a result this study contributes to filling that void. Healthcare providers can use this information to increase awareness in the Black community of the early signs of AD, specifically memory failure, and the importance of timelier help-seeking behaviors, as a means of maximizing treatment effectiveness, and their quality of life.