Table 1.

Distribution figures and associations between items in the questionnaire by profession

		General practitioners					Specialists
		Mean (SD) Median	association with CI		association with general attitude cluster		Mean (SD) Median	association with CI		association with general attitude cluster		p3
			τ	p1	τ	p2		τ	p1	τ	p2
1	As a physician I cannot do anything to improve the quality of life of patients with dementia	1.95 (1.20) 2	-0.321	< 0.001	-	-	1.83 (1.21) 1	-0.274	0.002	-	-	0.317
2	Caring for patients with dementia is a rewarding task for me as a physician	3.56 (1.31) 4	0.239	< 0.001	-	-	3.56 (1.41) 4	0.228	0.005	-	-	0.998
3	I feel helpless in the relationship with my demented patients	2.63 (1.30) 2	-0.270	< 0.001	-	-	2.59 (1.24) 2	-0.238	0.004	-	-	0.906
4	I would prefer to have nothing to do with the care for dementia patients	1.97 (1.24) 1	-0.342	< 0.001	-	-	1.74 (1.26) 1	-0.244	0.005	-	-	0.032
5	Early detection of dementia benefits the patient	5.00 (1.23) 5	0.248	< 0.001	-0.314	< 0.001	5.05 (1.27) 6	0.067	0.433	-0.256	0.005	0.546
6	Early detection of dementia has no therapeutic consequences.	1.88 (1.28) 1	-0.195	0.001	0.302	< 0.001	1.66 (1.24) 1	-0.028	0.754	0.283	0.003	0.069
7	I actively search for dementia in all patients over 65	3.16 (1.48) 3	0.238	< 0.001	-0.195	0.001	3.43 (1.74) 3	0.145	0.074	-0.248	0.005	0.201
8	In case of suspicion of cognitive problems I regularly use cognitive tests	3.80 (1.81) 4	0.367	< 0.001	-0.162	0.005	5.06 (1.58) 6	0.329	< 0.001	-0.267	0.004	< 0.001
9	I suggest to the relatives that they contact the Alzheimer Association	4.10 (1.68) 5	0.020	0.716	-0.048	0.418	4.67 (1.44) 5	0.105	0.210	-0.194	0.031	0.005
10	I suggest to the relatives to participate in a self-help group	4.47 (1.50) 5	0.179	0.001	-0.149	0.012	4.80 (1.28) 5	0.119	0.158	-0.205	0.024	0.079
11	I propose the relatives often to help them in organising the care, e.g. in finding a legal guardian	4.60 (1.35) 5	0.206	< 0.001	-0.284	< 0.001	4.74 (1.20) 5	0.018	0.830	-0.055	0.544	0.630
12	To my opinion, the relatives have exaggerated communication needs	2.53 (1.50) 2	-0.217	< 0.001	0.380	< 0.001	2.63 (1.45) 2	0.033	0.687	0.110	0.218	0.441
13	Usually I can help relatives with burden quite well	4.32 (1.02) 4	0.183	0.001	-0.326	< 0.001	4.26 (1.06) 4	-0.045	0.590	-0.177	0.050	0.780
14	Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of dementia would help me	4.50 (1.49) 5	-0.141	0.010	0.004	0.949	3.79 (1.52) 4	-0.206	0.012	0.029	0.739	< 0.001
15	I would like to participate in a training on how to deal and speak with demented patients and their relatives	4.13 (1.60) 5	-0.138	0.011	0.072	0.224	3.35 (1.69) 3	-0.092	0.256	-0.026	0.767	< 0.001

CI = competence index; SD = standard deviation, n = number of respondents, p₁ = statistical significance of association between competence index and items; p₂, statistical significance of association between general attitude cluster and items; p₃ = statistical significance of difference between GPs and specialists; n = 211 for GPs and 96 for specialists.