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S3–01–01: Dynamic processes in life‐course: exposure to risk and incidence of dementia—CFAS‐II
Author(s) -
Matthews Fiona
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1016/j.jalz.2013.04.214
Subject(s) - dementia , gerontology , incidence (geometry) , population , life course approach , demography , ageing , population ageing , cognitive decline , psychology , medicine , environmental health , disease , developmental psychology , pathology , physics , sociology , optics
Background: Many studies were initiated to explore the occurrence and risk for dementia at the population level during the 1990’s. These studies can be used to provide a contemporary investigation of dementia risk. Methodologies have, however, changed in the intervening 20 years in ways that might affect such investigations. True comparative studies must therefore investigate both risk and outcome with near identical measures. Most current estimates used for policy are based on the estimates from 20 years ago, with limited ability to examine change in population estimates over time. New prevalence studies are needed for policy as well as the investigation of the potential for change in risk across generations. Methods: The Cognitive Function and Ageing Studies (CFAS) are population based studies of dementia prevalence and incidence, linked over time. CFAS I was undertaken in the early 1990s (18,000 people aged 65 and over at baseline), CFAS II completed its baseline study in 2011 (7,500 people). CFAS I had 6 sites, CFAS II repeated the population sampling methodology and approach in three of these sites, also retaining the same diagnostic and risk measurement in these sites. Results: Results will describe the prevalence of dementia in the large contemporaneous older population, and also compare this with that of the previous generation with analysis of the potential impact that life course risk has played in the dementia patterns seen. Conclusions: Studies to investigate changes over time are complex to design and carry out. The desire to improve the measures must be contained so that robust comparisons can be made which can also inform policy. The potential for changes in methodology and other features to impact the estimates must be fully accounted for before any differences can reliably be interpreted as true change in population risk.