The Epidemiologic Reports of Seongdong Center for Dementia;What is the New in the Graying Society?

Abstract

Background & Objectives: The objectives of this study are to describe the epidemiologic characteristics from the community-based older adults through social service network and to suggest the medical role for the public health in the future.

Method: The data from the Seongdong center for dementia used to estimate the epidemiologic and social background, and this trial was the first community-based study for dementia. A sample of 3712 individuals age 65 or older participating in this study completed the basic information form of social background and previous medical health information. Specialized neurologist conducted a neuropsychological test and examination to participants showing cognitive dysfunction at the screening test or history taking. All participants who were diagnosed as dementia did brain MRI and further serological test in Hanyang medical center.

Results: The prevalence rate of dementia (all types) was 4.1%; 2.7% for Alzheimer`s disease(AD), 1.1% for vascular dementia (VaD) and 0.3% for other type. The main cause of dementia was AD, 47.6%. But the relative prevalence of VaD was high compared to previously reported results. Age, education, exercise, history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and stroke were identified risk factors for dementia. But there were no gender differences in dementia. The relative frequency of illiteracy was 26.1% in the elderly living in Seongdong, and 44.1% was in the demented group.

Conclusion: This was the first consecutive communitybased epidemiologic study by dementia specialist using MRI and neuropsychological test in Korea through government social service network. The prevalence for dementia in Seongdong district was lower than that of previous report. But the frequency of de-novo patient of any kind of dementia was 97.8%. The high illiterate rate was a main obstacle to carry out with an existing precise neuropsychological test. Long-term follow up and observational study will be needed. It is to be hoped that this results will contribute to bring the active medical role to the community and new neuropsychological test for illiteracy in the community.