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The prevalence of dementia and cognitive deficit in a rural population of 2442 residents in northern Italy. A door‐to‐door survey
Author(s) -
Cristina S.,
Nicolosi A.,
Hauser W. A.,
Leite M. L. C.,
Gerosa E.,
Nappi G.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
european journal of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.881
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1468-1331
pISSN - 1351-5101
DOI - 10.1046/j.1468-1331.2001.00301.x
Subject(s) - medicine , dementia , population , neuropsychology , rural area , gerontology , prevalence , rural population , pediatrics , demography , cognition , psychiatry , environmental health , disease , pathology , sociology
A population study to estimate the prevalence of dementia was carried out amongst the residents of four rural towns near Pavia in northern Italy. The population included a 40% sample of the residents between 65 and 69 years old and all residents of 70 years old or older. A door‐to‐door neuropsychological screening was followed by neurological examination on individuals scoring low at the screening. Of the 1670 subjects who completed the screening, 42.3% scored under the cut‐off point. The prevalence of cognitive deficit was higher in women, even accounting for age. Of those who scored under the cut‐off point, 336 underwent neurological examination, yielding a prevalence of dementia of 15% (from 1.6% between the ages of 65 and 69; 35% at the age of 85) in women and 5% (from 7% between the ages of 75 and 79; 27% at the age of 85 or more) in men.