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" Dementia is the most joked about medical condition, despite the fact that the vast majority of people do not believe it is acceptable to make fun of the condition, a poll has found. The Alzheimer&amp;#039;s Society-commissioned survey, conducted by YouGov, found that 24 per cent of people heard jokes about dementia the most. In contrast, just three per cent said the most jokes were made about autism or cancer. More than half of respondents (55 per cent) claimed that dementia is not taken seriously enough by society and Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of the Alzheimer&amp;#039;s Society, described the findings as &amp;#039;shocking&amp;#039;. He said that the poll showed &amp;#039;that dementia is still a condition for which some people think it is okay to joke about&amp;#039;. &amp;#039;We must tackle this lack of understanding if we are to ensure people with dementia are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve,&amp;#039; Mr Hughes added. Care services minister Paul Burstow emphasised the importance of tackling the stigma associated with dementia. He pointed out: &amp;#039;People can live well with dementia and continue to lead an active and full life for years after a diagnosis.&amp;#039; Figures suggest that around 465,000 people in the UK are affected by Alzheimer&amp;#039;s disease, the most common cause of dementia. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/news/a21202/dementia-the-most-joked-about-medical-condition-poll-suggests/>