Evaluation of perception towards brain health in Nigeria: Results from a nationwide awareness survey

Abstract

Background: Brain health involves the continuous functioning of mental, cognitive, motor and physical abilities driven by brain processes. Despite high levels of brain health risk in Nigeria, there is a lack of data on the public perception of brain health. Aim: The authors investigated the perception of brain health and explored the interplay between demographic factors and brain health awareness. Setting: The research was carried out among the Nigerian population. Methods: A total of 570 participants responded to a cross-sectional survey conducted using Google Form link shared through WhatsApp and Facebook and convenience sampling between April 2023 and August 2023. Brain health perceptions were assessed across key domains. Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 29.0 was used for analysis. Bivariate correlations and logistic regression explored the relationships between socio-demographics and brain health perception. Results: Substance use was rated by 67% of participants as influencing factor for brain health. All life stages were considered important for brain care. Men were less likely than women to attribute family income, substance use and sleep as key influences. Remarkably, only 43.9%, 19.5% and 19.5% of participants agreed that an association exists between hypertension, diabetes and arthritis with brain health. Conclusion: The study's findings suggest that there are notable gaps and gender differences in perceptions, underscoring the need for targeted health education. Addressing these gaps could improve the understanding of factors influencing brain health and support policy efforts in Nigeria. Contribution: This study provides unique insight into the gaps in the public perception of brain health in Nigeria, serving as a baseline study for future research.