Files and links (1)
PDFOpen Access (License Unspecified), Open Access
Dissertation
Help seeking behavior: examining the contribution of subjective cognitive decline and sociodemographic factors
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Drexel University
Jun 2021
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00000709
Abstract
Disparities in prevalence of dementia, most commonly Alzheimer's Disease, as well as in help seeking have been posited to exist across sociodemographic groups in the US, warranting a public health concern according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2018). Research indicates that a myriad of factors, including differences in knowledge of dementia-related symptoms, health literacy, physical and financial access to resources, and differences in perception of neurodegenerative disease, may explain these disparities. Research attempting to address disparities has often focused on clinical markers of Alzheimer's disease; though useful, this research may be limited in its focus on preventative efforts, as individuals are already experiencing progressively worsening cognitive symptoms once they seek help. As such, early help seeking (HS) is crucial for early intervention and planning of care. Subjective cognitive decline (SCD), a posited preclinical marker of AD, can provide the adequate platform for early HS and tailored intervention. Previous research has not systematically examined the relationship between SCD and HS, specifically with consideration of important sociodemographic factors. The current study sought to examine the relationship between SCD and HS, considering three sociodemographic factors (i.e., level of education, socioeconomic status, and self-reported race). Further, it sought to explore differences in illness perception and preferred source for attaining help, as a means to elucidate the expected differences in SCD and HS across these sociodemographic groups. Findings indicated SCD was positively related to HS, and that level of education was the only sociodemographic variable to (marginally) moderate such relationship. Exploratory findings in a small sub-sample of participants indicated some illness perception differences across levels of education (e.g., expected progression of memory problems over time) and socioeconomic groups (e.g., ways to optimize memory functioning), though none were found between majority versus minority racial group. Additional exploratory findings on HS preferences indicated that in comparison to those with no HS preference, those who preferred informal help had lower SCD, after considering race and education, separately. However, neither education nor race were independently associated to HS preference. Intersectional implications for tailored intervention across neuropsychology and public health are discussed.
Metrics
166 File views/ downloads
126 Record Views
Details
- Title
- Help seeking behavior
- Creators
- Martina Azar
- Contributors
- Maria Teresa Schultheis (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- x, 90 pages
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences (Psychology); College of Arts and Sciences; Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991015080449104721