The survey focuses on identifying dementia awareness challenges among Ghanaian school students. Data were generated in a cross-sectional survey (n = 1137). 9.3% of school students showed dementia awareness whilst the community respondents, representing both higher age and level of education, showed greater awareness (32.2%, P < .001). 45% of respondents believed in witchcraft and 57% were afraid of potentially being harmed by witchcraft. Age and education did not influence people’s belief in witchcraft. Moreover, dementia symptoms were often mistaken for witchcraft, especially by those who had encountered a person accused of witchcraft: “swearing at others” (24%), displaying “memory loss” and “confused speech” (22%), “forgetfulness” and who was seen “roaming around” (19%). Lack of dementia awareness was particularly evident among school students whereas belief in witchcraft was similar in both respondent groups. There was a correlation between low dementia awareness rates and misinterpretation of dementia symptoms with attribution to witchcraft.

该调查的重点是确定加纳学生对痴呆症认识的挑战。数据是通过横断面调查生成的（n = 1137）。 9.3% 的学生表现出对痴呆症的认识，而代表较高年龄和教育水平的社区受访者表现出更高的认识（32.2%， P < .001）。 45%的受访者相信巫术，57%的受访者担心可能受到巫术的伤害。年龄和教育程度并不影响人们对巫术的信仰。此外，痴呆症症状经常被误认为是巫术，尤其是那些遇到被指控施行巫术的人的人：“咒骂他人”（24%）、表现出“记忆丧失”和“言语混乱”（22%）、“健忘”以及谁被看见“四处游荡”（19%）。在校学生中尤其明显缺乏对痴呆症的认识，而两个受访群体对巫术的信仰相似。痴呆症认知率低与对痴呆症症状与巫术的误解之间存在相关性。