An Age Old Problem? Estimating the Impact of Dementia on Past Human Populations. (February 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Smith, Martin; Atkin, Alison; Cutler, Clare
• Is Part Of: Journal of aging and health. Volume 29:Number 1(2017:Feb.)
• Page Start: 68
• Page End: 98
• Publication Date: 2017-02
• Subjects: active life expectancy -- dementia -- demography -- epidemiology -- history; Older people -- Health and hygiene -- Periodicals; Geriatrics -- Periodicals; 618.97
• DOI: 10.1177/0898264315624905
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0898-2643

Abstract

Objective: To model the impact of dementia on past societies.Method: We consider multiple lines of evidence indicating elderly individuals to have been more common throughout the past than is frequently accepted. We then apply known dementia incidence/prevalence rates to plausible assumptions of past population structures to suggest prevalence in the past.Results: Dementia prevalence in premodern societies is likely to have been around 5% of the rate seen in modern, developed countries but with a total past incidence running into billions.Discussion: Dementia is often seen as a "modern" challenge that humans have not had to contend with before. We argue that this condition has had considerably greater effects than previously envisaged and is a challenge that humans have already withstood successfully, on one hand at a lower incidence but on the other without the considerable clinical, technological, and social advances that have been made in recent times.