| Abstract | More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's, a progressive disease that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. This high incidence rate may be partially attributed to level of perceived risk and individuals not understanding proactive lifestyle changes earlier in life can lessen the chance of developing Alzheimer's. Prior research has shown younger people and racial/ethnic minorities have lower risk perception of developing diseases in general. The present work hypothesized that a.) people who are non-white will have a lower perceived risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and b.) people who are young adults will have a lower perceived risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. To investigate, we constructed a one-time online survey consisting of a demographic questionnaire and psychological scale evaluating perceived Alzheimer's risk. 788 American adults independently completed the survey online. Results revealed that there was a significant difference in perception between Black and White individuals and Black and Mixed individuals. Black participants had a lower perceived risk for developing Alzheimer's disease than both the White and Mixed groups. There were no significant differences for age of participants and perceived risk. This study and results provide a foundation for further research into the convergence of marginality and perceived risk for Alzheimer's disease and cognitive health. With more education and support, more people can take informed, preventative measures against this disease at an earlier age, prior to onset. |
