Table 3.

The 25-item DKAS, confirmed domains, and standardised factor loadings

Item #	Statement content	Domains / factor names	Standardised loadings
1	Most forms of dementia do not generally shorten a person’s life [False]	Causes and characteristics	.616
2	Blood vessel disease (vascular dementia) is the most common form of dementia [False]	Causes and characteristics	.651
3	People can recover from the most common forms of dementia [False]	Causes and characteristics	.447
4	Dementia is a normal part of the ageing process [False]	Causes and characteristics	.382
5	Dementia does not result from physical changes in the brain [False]	Causes and characteristics	.369
6	Planning for end of life care is generally not necessary following a diagnosis of dementia [False]	Causes and characteristics	.463
7	Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia [True]	Causes and characteristics	.578
8	It is impossible to communicate with a person who has advanced dementia [False]	Communication and behaviour	.529
9	A person experiencing advanced dementia will not generally respond to changes in their physical environment [False]	Communication and behaviour	.572
10	It is important to correct a person with dementia when they are confused [False]	Communication and behaviour	.369
11	People experiencing advanced dementia often communicate through body language [True]	Communication and behaviour	.627
12	Uncharacteristic behaviours in a person experiencing dementia are generally a response to unmet needs [True]	Communication and behaviour	.574
13	Medications are the most effective way of treating behavioural symptoms of dementia [False]	Communication and behaviour	.554
14	People experiencing dementia do not generally have problems making decisions [False]	Care considerations	.477
15	Movement is generally affected in the later stages of dementia [True]	Care considerations	.664
16	Difficulty eating and drinking generally occurs in the later stages of dementia [True]	Care considerations	.668
17	People with advanced dementia may have difficulty speaking [True]	Care considerations	.729
18	People experiencing dementia often have difficulty learning new skills [True]	Care considerations	.429
19	Daily care for a person with advanced dementia is effective when it focuses on providing comfort [True]	Care considerations	.498
20	Having high blood pressure increases a person’s risk of developing dementia [True]	Risks and health promotion	.520
21	Maintaining a healthy lifestyle does not reduce the risk of developing the most common forms of dementia [False]	Risks and health promotion	.521
22	Symptoms of depression can be mistaken for symptoms of dementia [True]	Risks and health promotion	.510
23	The sudden onset of cognitive problems is characteristic of common forms of dementia [False]	Risks and health promotion	.412
24	Exercise is generally beneficial for people experiencing dementia [True]	Risks and health promotion	.526
25	Early diagnosis of dementia does not generally improve quality of life for people experiencing the condition [False]	Risks and health promotion	.482