Effectiveness of a Dementia Anti-Stigma Intervention in Rural Kenya

Stigma underlies many health disparities in Kenya, and dementia-related stigma is no different. Preliminary evidence highlights the short-term benefits of a dementia anti-stigma intervention in Kenya. The study aims to ascertain the long-term effectiveness of a locally developed dementia anti stigma intervention in order to establish a community resource that will improve dementia understanding, reduce stigma and improve health behaviours.

In AIM 1, the investigators will assess what public stigma towards people with dementia and their carers looks like in Kenya, through a survey (600). Individual interviews with 20 members of the general public who completed the survey will be conducted to explore what stigmatizing beliefs are held and why they form. Triangulation techniques will then be used to integrate quantitative and qualitative data. Reflecting on AIM 1 findings, the investigators will engage 20 key stakeholders to refine an existing anti-stigma intervention, to better target culturally specific misconceptions and negative beliefs about dementia (AIM2). In AIM 3, the investigators will determine the effectiveness of the intervention among members of the general public (n=184), through a stepped wedge cluster randomized trial (SWT).