A QUARTER of people diagnosed with dementia hide the fact for fear of being stigmatised, according to a new report.

The Medical Research Council (MRC), which commissioned the joint report by think-tank International Longevity Centre UK, said the social stigma was hampering diagnosis, care and research.

Charities estimate there will be around 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK by next year, with the report claiming over-55s fear the condition most.

Professor Hugh Perry, chairman of the MRC’s neuroscience and mental health board, said: “If people are too frightened to address early signs of dementia, we can’t possibly get a full picture of the disease from a research perspective to understand how the disease first develops and how it varies from person to person.

“It’s clear that more needs to be done to understand the roots and causes of dementia and stamp out social stigma, the same way that stigma surrounding cancer and HIV has been all but eradicated.”

The stigma can even lead to a worsening of symptoms if sufferers are neglected, Prof Perry added, while a leading dementia charity said they had had reports of people feeling cut off after being diagnosed.

George McNamara, head of policy and public affairs at Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Too often people with dementia tell us that since their diagnosis they’ve faced an unacceptable level of stigma and in some cases lost friends and social networks. This wouldn’t happen if you had cancer and is totally unacceptable yet avoidable.

“We’ve come a long way in terms of raising awareness but we still need to do more as a society to banish the stigma surrounding dementia. Beating dementia won’t just happen in a lab.”

Alzheimer’s Research UK, which also contributed to the study, said there needed to be better awareness of the condition.

Latest figures from the charity show there are 25,590 people with dementia in West Yorkshire and 5,519 in Bradford.

Alzheimer’s Society Bradford services manager Paul Smithson said: “Too often people tell us that since they were diagnosed with dementia they have lost friends and don’t get invited to social events anymore, or that their friends don’t know how to react to them when they meet. There is still too much stigma associated with the condition. People living with dementia need to be supported to live well and this includes banishing stigma.

“Until this happens there will still be people who are unwilling to visit their GP if they are concerned about their memory or that of a relative and seek the diagnosis that is so crucial to getting the support they need to manage dementia, such as accessing medication and support services.

“Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friendly Community initiative, including the work we are doing in Bradford towards becoming a dementia-friendly city, is all about raising awareness in every community and organisation and this will make a huge difference in empowering people with dementia to live well as active citizens. This includes giving people a better understanding and reducing their anxieties around the condition, which will help them communicate better with people with dementia who they may meet and also play a part in diminishing stigma.”