Open AccessMild cognitive impairment in Aboriginal Australians
Author(s) -
Derrig Hannah,
Lavrencic Louise M.,
Broe Gerald A.,
Draper Brian,
Cumming Robert G,
Garvey Gail,
Hill Thi Yen,
Daylight Gail,
Chalkley Simon,
Mack Holly,
Lasschuit Danielle,
Delbaere Kim,
Radford Kylie
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia: translational research and clinical interventions
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.49
H-Index - 30
ISSN - 2352-8737
DOI - 10.1002/trc2.12054
Subject(s) - dementia , medicine , depression (economics) , confidence interval , odds ratio , logistic regression , body mass index , gerontology , cognitive impairment , cognition , demography , psychiatry , disease , sociology , economics , macroeconomics
Aboriginal Australians have among the highest rates of dementia worldwide, yet no study has investigated the subtypes, risk factors, or longer term outcomes of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in this population. Methods A total of 336 community‐dwelling Aboriginal Australians aged ≥60 years participated in a longitudinal study, completing a structured interview at baseline. MCI (amnestic subtype, aMCI; non‐amnestic subtype, naMCI) and dementia were diagnosed via cognitive screening, medical assessment, and clinical consensus. Associations between life‐course factors and baseline MCI subtypes were examined using logistic regression. Conversion to dementia was assessed at 6‐year follow‐up. Results Prevalent aMCI ( n = 24) was associated with older age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.68, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12 to 2.53), head injury (OR = 3.19, 95% CI: 1.35 to 7.56), symptoms of depression (OR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.04 to 2.24), and lower blood pressure (OR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.33 to 0.86). Prevalent naMCI ( n = 29) was associated with low education (OR = 4.46, 95% CI: 1.53 to 13.05), unskilled work history (OR = 5.62, 95% CI: 2.07 to 13.90), higher body mass index (OR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.30 to 3.04), and moderate to severe hearing loss (OR = 2.82, 95% CI: 1.06 to 7.55). A small proportion of MCI cases reverted to intact at follow‐up (15%), but most remained stable (44%), developed dementia and/or died (41%). Discussion Sociodemographic and clinical factors both contributed to baseline MCI and were distinct for MCI subtypes, with similar patterns of conversion to dementia for amnestic and non‐amnestic MCI.