Jon Arild Aakre, Arvid Rongve, Kari Fredriksen, Ellen J Svendsboe, Ingelin Testad
The event was well received and supported secondary dissemination through attendees' interpersonal networks, particularly friends and family. Although no immediate recruitment effect was observed, public engagement may extend the reach of dementia research communication beyond those who attend.
BACKGROUND: Dementia with Lewy bodies may account for up to 20% of dementia cases, yet public awareness remains limited. Public engagement may help communicate dementia research to wider audiences, but little is known about whether information spreads beyond event attendees. This study explored how attendees evaluated information about dementia with Lewy bodies and the ongoing Ambroxol in New and Early Dementia with Lewy Bodies (ANeED) clinical drug trial presented at a WiseAge public engagement event, and how they reported sharing this information afterwards.
METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study followed a WiseAge public engagement event that included information about dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, and the clinical trial. A post-event survey was distributed to attendees, and responses were analysed descriptively.
RESULTS: Of 48 attendees, 18 completed the survey. The information was rated positively, with 16 of 18 rating it as good or very good. Attendees reported sharing information beyond the event, most commonly with friends (n = 14) and family members (n = 7), while sharing with neighbors was rare (n = 1). The number of people with whom information was shared ranged from zero to six. No notable change in trial recruitment was observed during the post-event observation period.
CONCLUSION: The event was well received and supported secondary dissemination through attendees' interpersonal networks, particularly friends and family. Although no immediate recruitment effect was observed, public engagement may extend the reach of dementia research communication beyond those who attend.