TY - JOUR
T1 - Public perceptions of brain health
T2 - an international, online cross-sectional survey
AU - Budin-Ljøsne, Isabelle
AU - Mowinckel, Athanasia Monika
AU - Friedman, Barbara Bodorkos
AU - Ebmeier, Klaus P
AU - Drevon, Christian A
AU - Carver, Rebecca Bruu
AU - Zsoldos, Enikő
AU - Fredheim, Nanna Alida Grit
AU - Sørensen, Øystein
AU - Baaré, William Frans Christiaan
AU - Madsen, Kathrine Skak
AU - Fjell, Anders M
AU - Kievit, Rogier A
AU - Ghisletta, Paolo
AU - Bartrés-Faz, David
AU - Nawijn, Laura
AU - Solé-Padullés, Cristina
AU - Walhovd, Kristine B
AU - Düzel, Sandra
AU - Zasyekina, Larisa
AU - Iulita, Maria Florencia
AU - Ferretti, Maria Teresa
N1 - © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
PY - 2022/4/18
Y1 - 2022/4/18
N2 - OBJECTIVES: To investigate public perspectives on brain health.DESIGN: Cross-sectional multilanguage online survey.SETTING: Lifebrain posted the survey on its website and social media and shared it with stakeholders. The survey was open from 4 June 2019 to 31 August 2020.PARTICIPANTS: n=27 590 aged ≥18 years from 81 countries in five continents completed the survey. The respondents were predominantly women (71%), middle aged (41-60 years; 37%) or above (>60 years; 46%), highly educated (69%) and resided in Europe (98%).MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Respondents' views were assessed regarding factors that may influence brain health, life periods considered important to look after the brain and diseases and disorders associated with the brain. We run exploratory linear models at a 99% level of significance to assess correlates of the outcome variables, adjusting for likely confounders in a targeted fashion.RESULTS: Of all significant effects, the respondents recognised the impact of lifestyle factors on brain health but had relatively less awareness of the role socioeconomic factors might play. Most respondents rated all life periods as important for the brain (95%-96%), although the prenatal period was ranked significantly lower (84%). Equally, women and highly educated respondents more often rated factors and life periods to be important for brain health. Ninety-nine per cent of respondents associated Alzheimer's disease and dementia with the brain. The respondents made a connection between mental health and the brain, and mental disorders such as schizophrenia and depression were significantly more often considered to be associated with the brain than neurological disorders such as stroke and Parkinson's disease. Few respondents (<32%) associated cancer, hypertension, diabetes and arthritis with the brain.CONCLUSIONS: Differences in perceptions of brain health were noted among specific segments of the population. Policies providing information about brain-friendly health behaviours and targeting people less likely to have relevant experience may be needed.
AB - OBJECTIVES: To investigate public perspectives on brain health.DESIGN: Cross-sectional multilanguage online survey.SETTING: Lifebrain posted the survey on its website and social media and shared it with stakeholders. The survey was open from 4 June 2019 to 31 August 2020.PARTICIPANTS: n=27 590 aged ≥18 years from 81 countries in five continents completed the survey. The respondents were predominantly women (71%), middle aged (41-60 years; 37%) or above (>60 years; 46%), highly educated (69%) and resided in Europe (98%).MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Respondents' views were assessed regarding factors that may influence brain health, life periods considered important to look after the brain and diseases and disorders associated with the brain. We run exploratory linear models at a 99% level of significance to assess correlates of the outcome variables, adjusting for likely confounders in a targeted fashion.RESULTS: Of all significant effects, the respondents recognised the impact of lifestyle factors on brain health but had relatively less awareness of the role socioeconomic factors might play. Most respondents rated all life periods as important for the brain (95%-96%), although the prenatal period was ranked significantly lower (84%). Equally, women and highly educated respondents more often rated factors and life periods to be important for brain health. Ninety-nine per cent of respondents associated Alzheimer's disease and dementia with the brain. The respondents made a connection between mental health and the brain, and mental disorders such as schizophrenia and depression were significantly more often considered to be associated with the brain than neurological disorders such as stroke and Parkinson's disease. Few respondents (<32%) associated cancer, hypertension, diabetes and arthritis with the brain.CONCLUSIONS: Differences in perceptions of brain health were noted among specific segments of the population. Policies providing information about brain-friendly health behaviours and targeting people less likely to have relevant experience may be needed.
KW - Adolescent
KW - Adult
KW - Brain
KW - Cross-Sectional Studies
KW - Female
KW - Humans
KW - Life Style
KW - Male
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Public Opinion
KW - Surveys and Questionnaires
KW - mental health
KW - preventive medicine
KW - health policy
KW - dementia
KW - public health
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85128557445&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-057999
DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-057999
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 35437254
SN - 2399-9772
VL - 12
SP - 1
EP - 15
JO - BMJ Paediatrics Open
JF - BMJ Paediatrics Open
IS - 4
M1 - e057999
ER -