Many see Alzheimer's as normal aging

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 19 (UPI) -- African-Americans and Hispanics are more likely than whites to see Alzheimer's disease as a part of normal aging, a U.S. survey found.

"If family members believe that Alzheimer's disease is the term for normal memory loss associated with aging, they will be less likely to seek diagnosis and treatment in the early phase of the process when more options are available," lead author Cathleen Connell, of the University of Michigan, said in a statement.

Researchers at University of Michigan School of Public Health in Ann Arbor, Mich., gave 1,776 black, Hispanic and white adults brief phone interviews to assess levels of knowledge and beliefs about Alzheimer's disease.

The survey results, published in Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders, found a similarity in patterns among all racial groups that nothing can be done to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Less than 50 percent of those asked said they were aware that treatments can address symptoms and improve quality of life for those with Alzheimer's.