Dementia Prevalence in a Rural Region of South Africa: A Cross-Sectional Community Study
Open Access
- 3 October 2017
- journal article
- Published by IOS Press in Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
- Vol. 60 (3), 1087-1096
- https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-170325
Abstract
Dementia is a growing concern for low- and middle-income countries where longevity is increasing and service provision is poor. Global prevalence estimates vary from 2% to 8.5% for those aged 60 years and older. There have been few dementia studies in sub-Saharan Africa, and prevalence data are lacking for South Africa. To conduct a large dementia prevalence study in a low income rural population in South Africa. 1,394 Xhosa-speaking community dwellers, aged ≥60 y (mean age±sd 71.3±8.3 y), in three clinic catchment areas, were screened at home. Trained community health workers administered the brief Community Screening Instrument for Dementia (CSID) to participants and informants to assess cognitive and functional capacity. Depressive symptoms were assessed with three questions from the EURO-D. The prevalence estimate using published CSID sensitivity/specificity values was 0.8 (95% CI: 0.06–0.09). Using CSID cut-off scores the estimated prevalence was 0.12 (95% CI: 0.10–0.13), with 161 screen-positives. Both methods gave a rate of 0.11 (95% CI: 0.09–0.13) for those over 65 years (n = 1051). 68.6% of participants were female and 69.8% had less than 7 years of education. Dementia risk was associated with older age and symptoms of depression, but not with sex. The association with education was not significant when controlled for by age. Dementia prevalence estimates were higher than expected for this low-income rural community. There is a need for increased dementia awareness and feasible support interventions. We also need further studies of regional prevalences, dementia subtypes, and modifiable risk factors in South Africa.This publication has 24 references indexed in Scilit:
- Using Multistate Observational Studies to Determine Role of Hypertension and Diabetes as Risk Factors for DementiaJournal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice, 2016
- Factors related to HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment differ with ageJournal of NeuroVirology, 2014
- Role of Depression in Predicting Time to Conversion to Mild Cognitive ImpairmentAmerican Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 2014
- Prevalences of dementia and cognitive impairment among older people in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic reviewBulletin of the World Health Organization, 2013
- Dementia prevalence estimates in sub-Saharan Africa: comparison of two diagnostic criteriaGlobal Health Action, 2013
- The prevalence of dementia in rural Tanzania: a cross‐sectional community‐based studyInternational Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 2012
- Human immunodeficiency virus‐associated neurocognitive disorders: Mind the gapAnnals of Neurology, 2010
- Normative data for the Tygerberg Cognitive Battery and Mini-Mental Status Examination in a South African populationComprehensive Psychiatry, 2010
- Global prevalence of dementia: a Delphi consensus studyThe Lancet, 2006
- Epidemiology of dementia in Nigeria: results from the Indianapolis–Ibadan studyEuropean Journal of Neurology, 2000