Dementia Stigma Reduction (DESeRvE): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial of an online intervention program to reduce dementia-related public stigma

Background: Dementia is considered to be a highly stigmatized condition leading to significant negative effects on the health and well-being of people with dementia and people supporting someone living with dementia. Even though there has been an increasing amount of research on dementia-related stigma over the past two decades, research on effective, evidence-based approaches to reduce dementia-related public stigma is still lacking.

Methods: A 2 × 2 factorial randomized controlled trial (RCT) is being conducted to evaluate the feasibility and short-term efficacy of an online intervention program. It compares different approaches to reduce dementiarelated public stigma: 1) Education (ED) that is designed to provide written information on dementia; 2) Contact (CT) that is designed to offer indirect virtual contact with people with dementia and/or people supporting someone with dementia; 3) Education plus contact (ED + CT) that is designed to provide both written information on dementia and indirect virtual contact with people with dementia and/or people supporting someone living with dementia; and 4) an active control condition receiving written information on general health. We aim to recruit 500 lay persons aged 40 and over, to complete a questionnaire measuring the level of dementia-related public stigma, assessed with a modified Attribution Questionnaire and dementia knowledge, assessed with the Dementia Knowledge Assessment Scale version 2 at baseline and follow-up assessments (immediately after the intervention and 12 weeks post-intervention).

Discussion: Results from this trial will provide evidence on the most effective approach in reducing dementiarelated public stigma. The results are also likely to form an evidence base for the feasibility of dementia-related public stigma campaigns to educate the general public.