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Prevalence of Dementia in the ‘Oldest Old’ of a Dutch Community
Author(s) -
Heeren Thea J.,
Lagaay Anne M.,
Hijmans Willy,
Rooymans Harry G. M.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1991.tb02696.x
Subject(s) - dementia , medicine , gerontology , population , mortality rate , epidemiology , etiology , prevalence , pediatrics , demography , psychiatry , disease , environmental health , sociology
Objective To estimate the prevalence rate of dementia in subjects 85 years of age and over. Design A two‐phase design with the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) in the screening phase and the Geriatric Mental State Schedule (GMS) in the diagnostic phase. Setting Community survey including subjects in residential care. Subjects All (n = 1,259) inhabitants of Leiden, The Netherlands, aged 85 years and over on December 1, 1986. First phase participation rate was 71% (17% drop‐out due to death); second phase participation rate was 82%. Main Outcome Measure DSM‐III diagnosis of dementia without further specification of the etiology of the dementia. Results An overall prevalence rate of 23% (95% C.I.: 19%–26%) was found. This included 12% mild dementia, 7% moderate and 4% severe dementia. The prevalence rate was higher among women (24%) than among men (18%). It increased with age from 19% (95% C.I.: 16%–22%) in the group of 85–89 years to 32% (95% C.I.: 26%–39%) in the group of 90–94 years to 41% (95% C.I.: 25%–58%) in the 95+ group. Conclusion A fifth of the 85+ and a third of the 90+ population suffer from dementia with an indication that half of the 95+ population is affected. With the expected steep rise in the number of the oldest old, dementia will stay a major health problem in the near future.