@article {9144, title = {The influence of psychosocial and cognitive factors on perceived threat of Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s Disease}, journal = {American Journal of Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s Disease \& Other Dementias}, volume = {32}, year = {2017}, pages = {289-299}, abstract = {This study explored psychosocial and cognitive predictors of perceived threat of Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s disease (AD). Respondents were 1641 adults (mean age: 64.4; 54\% female; 82\% white) who completed a module in the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative survey of adults aged >=50. Findings show that perceived threat was significantly higher for those aged 50 to 64 (P < .001) and 65 to 74 (P < .05) than for those >=75. Respondents with a family history of AD had significantly greater perceived threat (P < .001) than those with no experience. Stronger endorsement of the beliefs that stress (P < .01) or genetics (P < .01) are important AD risk factors was significantly associated with greater perceived threat, as was having more depressive symptoms (P < .01), poorer self-rated memory (P < .01), and lower cognitive function (P < .01). Personal experience moderated the relationship between perceived threat and 2 variables: age and self-rated memory. Understanding perceived AD threat may inform practice and policies centered on early and accurate diagnosis.}, keywords = {Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s disease, Perception, Psychosocial}, issn = {1533-3175}, doi = {10.1177/1533317517714552}, url = {http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1533317517714552}, author = {Jenny E Ostergren and Steven G Heeringa and Carlos F. Mendes de Leon and Cathleen M. Connell and J Scott Roberts} }