Dementia knowledge among caregivers with and without training in Lima-Peru

Dementia prevalence is increasing globally, especially in low-and middle-income countries like Peru. Evidence has shown that a trained caregiver improves the patient’s quality of life, reduces behavioral symptoms, and decreases the likelihood of the caregiver developing burnout. Objective: The aim of the study was to measure the level of knowledge of caregivers attending monthly training compared to untrained caregivers in Lima, Peru. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 102 informal caregivers of dementia patients, split evenly into trained (n=51) and untrained (n=51) groups. The training program (“Lonchecito para cuidadores”) consists of 10 virtual meetings per year, where the main topics are: types of dementia, management of behavioral symptoms, application of non-pharmacological measures, and caregiver well-being. Dementia knowledge was assessed using the Spanish version of the Dementia Knowledge Assessment Scale (DKAS-S). Data were analyzed using Student’s t-test to compare group scores, with a significance threshold of p<0.05. Results: The trained caregivers scored higher [mean=18, standard deviation (SD)=2.72] than the untrained group (mean=16, SD=2.6) (p=0.001). Higher education was moderately correlated with better DKAS-S scores. Notably, questions on early dementia symptoms, advanced care, and management of behavioral symptoms had the highest error rates, with up to 70% incorrect responses on some items. Conclusion: Caregivers with dementia training performed better than the general population, underscoring the need for improved community access to quality dementia information.