Nurses' knowledge and attitude toward people with Alzheimer's disease: An exploratory study

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) constitutes a significant health problem that affects mainly older people and causes a significant decline in cognitive abilities, thus affecting the quality of life and independence. Aim: The current study aimed at exploring knowledge and attitude toward people with AD among Jordanian nurses. Method: A cross-sectional survey utilizing a self-administered questionnaire was conducted in three Jordanian hospitals. Nurses' attitude was measured using the Dementia Attitude Scale (DAS). Knowledge was measured using the Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS). Results: A total of 207 nurses agreed to participate and completed the questionnaire. Most nurses demonstrated poor knowledge of AD with an ADKS score of 17.8 out of 30. In contrast, nurses had a positive attitude toward people with AD, with a total DAS mean score of 83.8 out of 140. Conclusion: Nurses lacked knowledge regarding AD, which could be attributed to insufficient education during university studies or after employment. Attitude toward people with Alzheimer's was positive in general; this implies that nurses have the potential to learn more about AD to enhance the care provided for people with the condition.