One in five Australians wrongly believe dementia is ‘normal part of the ageing process’, survey shows

Results from the Dementia Awareness Survey show despite the condition’s prevalence in Australia, the community has poor understanding of what can be done to reduce risks. Photograph: perfectlab/Getty Images

Dementia is the leading cause of premature death in older Australians, but fewer than one in three people are confident they know how to reduce their risk of it, a first-of-its-kind survey has shown.

The Dementia Awareness Survey released Wednesday by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) is the largest nationally representative survey of its kind measuring knowledge of dementia risk factors and common misconceptions.