Half Of Brits Fear Dementia More Than Any Other Health Condition, New Research Reveals
Half of people in the UK say dementia is the condition they fear most, according to findings from Alzheimer’s Research UK, with women, over-65s, and those with personal experience of the condition particularly likely to share this concern.
The fear is well-founded, given that dementia is currently the leading cause of death in the UK. Women face a particularly elevated risk, accounting for two out of every three dementia diagnoses. Contributing factors include longer life expectancy, social isolation, and emerging research suggesting menopause may play a role in the condition’s development.
Hilary Evans-Newton, Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, explained that 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.”
She added: “By 2040, 1.4 million people in the UK are expected to be living with dementia, making progress more urgent than ever.”
While most UK adults say they would feel comfortable discussing a dementia diagnosis, with 59% of respondents expressing comfort, stigma remains a considerable obstacle, particularly within minority ethnic communities.
Among Black African, Black Caribbean, and Black British adults, only 46% said they would feel comfortable discussing a diagnosis, with more than a third (35%) saying they would not – compared with 23% of white respondents.
Age also influences attitudes towards diagnosis. Around nine in 10 people aged 35-64 said they would likely seek a formal diagnosis if worried about early-stage Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. Among adults 65 and over, this figure falls slightly to eight in 10.
Older adults are also twice as likely to say they wouldn’t seek a diagnosis: only 7% of people aged 35-64 said they probably wouldn’t speak to a doctor, compared with 14% of those aged 65 and over.
To address these barriers, Alzheimer’s Research UK has established its Dementia Community Champions programme, which supports dedicated volunteers who bring conversations about dementia, stigma, and research into their own communities.
Samantha Turner, who leads the programme, said:
“There is still a significant amount of fear and stigma surrounding dementia, and for many, it’s something to be kept quiet.”
She explained that the latest findings underpin why the programme is so important: “By building on the trust and relationships that already exist within communities, we can create spaces where people feel supported and confident talking about dementia – and start to dismantle the stigma that has gone unchallenged for too long.”
When asked to identify the most important priorities for dementia research from a list of eight options, the public was clear: finding a cure comes first. Some 43% of respondents chose a cure for dementia as either the most or second-most important area for research, followed closely by finding a way to prevent the condition.
Since the last wave of the research in 2023, there has been landmark progress towards a cure. In 2024, two new treatments – lecanemab and donanemab – were licensed in the UK. While these treatments are not currently available on the NHS, they mark an important milestone in dementia research and may help explain why the public continues to prioritise finding a cure.
