Estimating Dementia Prevalence Across Countries
Author Information
Author(s): Cai Wenjie, Jones Richard, Gross Alden
Primary Institution: Johns Hopkins University
Hypothesis
How do variations in classification algorithms affect dementia prevalence estimates across different countries?
Conclusion
The study highlights that consistent methodologies are crucial for accurate cross-national dementia prevalence estimates.
Supporting Evidence
- The overall prevalence of dementia ranged from 8% in India to 9% in the US and England.
- Using a more liberal 1.0 SD cutoff on cognitive tests led to higher dementia prevalence by 3-7%.
- Excluding orientation to time/place from cognitive domains resulted in lower prevalence of dementia by 2-3%.
Takeaway
This study looks at how different ways of measuring dementia can change the numbers we see, showing that some methods make it look like more people have it than others.
Methodology
The study evaluated variations of a classification algorithm based on neuropsychological norms using HCAP studies from the US, England, and India.
Participant Demographics
Population-representative samples from the US, England, and India.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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