Prevalence of dementia in urban and regional Aboriginal Australians. Issue 3 (28th June 2014) - Radford, Kylie
Abstract: Background: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of dementia in collaboration with urban/regional Aboriginal communities. Methods: A census of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women aged 60 years and above in the target communities identified 546 potential participants, with 336 (61.5%) participating in this cross‐sectional study. Participants completed a structured interview and cognitive screening tests. One hundred fifty‐three participants also completed a detailed medical assessment. Assessment data were reviewed by a panel of clinicians who determined a diagnosis of dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) according to standard criteria. Results: Crude prevalence of dementia was 13.4%, and age‐standardized prevalence was 21.0%. The most common types of dementia were Alzheimer's dementia (44%) and mixed dementia diagnoses (29%). Estimated prevalence of MCI was 17.7%. Conclusion: Consistent with previous findings in a remote population, urban and regional Aboriginal Australians face high rates of dementia at younger ages, most commonly Alzheimer's dementia.