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An epidemiological survey of age‐related dementia in an urban area of Beijing
Author(s) -
Li G.,
Shen Y. C.,
Chen C. H.,
Zhao Y. W.,
Li S. R.,
Lu M.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1989.tb10303.x
Subject(s) - dementia , epidemiology , beijing , medicine , gerontology , demography , disease , china , sociology , political science , law
– An epidemiological survey of age‐related dementia among community residents of an urban of Beijing was conducted in 1986. Initial screening of 1331 subjects aged 60 and above was made using the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) with a cutoff point of 17. All suspected cases of dementia and 5.5% of all others were then given a full clinical examination, with subjects being diagnosed and classified according to DSM‐III criteria. The MMSE was found to have satisfactory sensitivity, although scores were significantly correlated with education. Prevalence rates of moderate and severe dementia were 1.28% for those aged 60 and above and 1.82% for those aged 65 and above. Rates for multi‐infarct dementia were higher than those for primary degenerative dementia; females had higher rates than males and rates increased sharply with age. All the dementia cases were cared for in their own homes, by relatives. There is a need for increased knowledge and services for elderly people in the community.