Knowledge and attitudes about dementia among nursing students in Vietnam: a cross-sectional study

Background Dementia is one of the most pressing health concerns among the ageing population, imposing significant health, financial and caregiving burdens on people with dementia (PWD), their families and caregivers. Building the capacity of nursing students is essential for effectively improving quality of life for affected people. This study aimed to assess nursing students' knowledge and attitudes toward dementia and its associated factors. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in four medical schools educating 3-year and 4-year diploma nursing students in northern, central and southern Vietnam, who were selected based on convenience. Six hundred full-time diploma senior nursing students were recruited for the survey. A self-administered questionnaire consisted of 34 true-false questions evaluating students' knowledge about dementia (Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale) and 20 items using a five-point Likert scale assessing their attitudes toward dementia (Dementia Attitudes Scale) was used. The tools were validated with 60 students and showed good internal reliability. Findings Senior nursing students exhibited insufficient knowledge of dementia (mean score of 20.82 +/- 2.96 out of 34) but demonstrated positive attitudes toward dementia care (mean score of 65.54 +/- 8.25 out of 90). Engaging in a 4-year diploma program (beta = 0.501), being female (beta = 0.827), and achieving greater academic performance (beta = 0.795) were positively associated with increased knowledge of dementia (P < 0.05). Being female (beta = 2.179) and possessing better knowledge of dementia (beta = 2.740) also positively affected nursing students' attitudes toward dementia (P < 0.05). Conclusions The study is the first to shed light on the gaps in dementia knowledge among senior nursing students in Vietnam. It also provides a comparison in dementia knowledge and attitudes between students enrolling in 3-year versus 4-year nursing diploma programs. Educational strategies are needed to not only equip students with adequate knowledge and reinforced positive attitudes toward dementia, but to strengthen nursing graduates' knowledge and attititudes of dementia to better their capacity in ageing and dementia care. Implications for nursing practiceThe findings highlighted the need to enhance training programs to meet the growing demand for dementia care. Additional post-graduation training activities are also recommended to increase competencies of nurses in caring for PWD.