Half of Brits fear dementia more than any other condition, research finds

Half of UK adults fear dementia more than any other health condition, with women and over-65s the most likely to share this concern, new research shows.

The figures come from the latest Dementia Attitudes Monitor, a biennial survey of more than 2,000 people that tracks how the public thinks and feels about dementia.

It explores what people believe raises their risk, how likely they are to seek a diagnosis, and their views on how effective treatments are.

Now in its fourth wave since launching in 2018, the survey was commissioned by Alzheimer’s Research UK and shows that fear remains high as dementia continues to be the UK’s leading cause of death.

Hilary Evans-Newton is chief executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK.

She said: “People fear dementia because there is still no cure. Dementia continues to rob people of their independence and place an immense strain on families and society.

“By 2040, 1.4 million people in the UK are expected to be living with dementia, making progress more urgent than ever.”

While 59 per cent of UK adults say they would feel comfortable discussing a diagnosis, stigma remains a major barrier, particularly among minority ethnic communities.

Among Black African, Black Caribbean and Black British adults, this drops to 46 per cent, with more than a third (35 per cent) saying they would not feel comfortable — compared with 23 per cent of white respondents.

Views also vary by age.

Nine in ten people aged 35–64 said they would likely seek a diagnosis if they were worried about early-stage Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia.

Among adults aged 65 and over, this falls slightly to eight in ten.

Older adults are twice as likely to say they wouldn’t seek a diagnosis: seven per cent of those aged 35–64 said they probably wouldn’t speak to a doctor, compared with 14 per cent of people aged 65 and over.

Alzheimer’s Research UK is tackling stigma through its Dementia Community Champions programme, which supports volunteers to start conversations about dementia, stigma and research within their own communities.

Emily Allen, a supporter of the charity whose mother was diagnosed with young-onset Alzheimer’s in 2010, shared her experience.

She said: “When mum was first diagnosed, I didn’t know much about dementia.

“I remember searching the internet for any information I could find about Alzheimer’s.

“I couldn’t comprehend the thought of mum not knowing my name, not knowing who I am. It was terrifying.

“When I discussed it with my sisters, we would call it the ‘Big A’ as we couldn’t bring ourselves to say the word.

“I think there is more understanding among the public about dementia now.

“But there is still so much fear because of how it affects people and their families, and because there are so few effective treatments available.”

When asked to choose the top priorities for dementia research from a list of eight, 43 per cent of respondents selected finding a cure as the most or second-most important goal, followed closely by prevention.

Since the previous wave of the monitor in 2023, two new treatments — lecanemab and donanemab — have been licensed in the UK (2024).

Although not yet available on the NHS, they mark a significant milestone in research and may explain why the public continues to prioritise a cure.