Incident Dementia in a Defined Older Chinese Population
2011

Dementia Incidence in Older Chinese Population

Sample size: 1526 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Chen Ruoling, Hu Zhi, Wei Li, Ma Ying, Liu Zhuming, Copeland John R.

Primary Institution: King's College London

Hypothesis

What are the incidence and predictors of dementia in older people in China?

Conclusion

The study found a high incidence of dementia in older Chinese adults, particularly among those with low education levels but high income.

Supporting Evidence

  • The age-standardized incidence of dementia was found to be 14.7 per 1000 person-years.
  • Increased risk factors included older age, female gender, low educational levels, smoking, and angina.
  • The study highlighted the importance of maintaining social networks to reduce dementia risk.

Takeaway

This study looked at older people in China and found that many of them are getting dementia, especially if they didn't go to school much but have good jobs.

Methodology

The study followed 1526 non-demented individuals aged 65 and older over 7.5 years, diagnosing incident dementia using GMS-AGECAT algorithms.

Potential Biases

Potential bias due to the lack of direct validation of the dementia diagnosis method in the specific cohort.

Limitations

The cohort data were not large, leading to wide confidence intervals on risk factors, and the study did not directly validate the dementia diagnosis method used.

Participant Demographics

Participants were older adults aged 65 and above, with a mix of educational levels and socioeconomic statuses.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.014 for female gender risk factor

Confidence Interval

95%CI 11.3–18.2 per 1000 person-years

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0024817

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