scholarly journals 531 - Dementia prevention and utilising the “teachable moment” in the New Zealand context

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. 76-76
Author(s):  
Copeland Bronwyn ◽  
Cheryl Collier ◽  
Jessica Braim
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Behavioural Intervention ◽  
Modifiable Risk Factors ◽  
Teachable Moment ◽  
Dementia Prevention ◽  
Children Health ◽  
Key Word ◽  
Disease Modifying ◽  
Maori Health

Dementia is a debilitating disease with wide-reaching impacts. Up to 40% of dementias are estimated to be preventable through modifiable risk factors, which is essential as no disease-modifying treatments are currently available. A literature review was performed using the OVID database, Google Scholar, and following references. Dementia as a key word was combined with the following key words: education, prevention, risk reduction, risk perception, family members, adult children, health promotion, behaviour change, Maori Health, health literacy, healthy aging, behavioural intervention, attitudes, teachable moment, psychoeducation.

scholarly journals A comparison of the prevalence of and modifiable risk factors for cognitive impairment among community-dwelling Canadian seniors over two decades, 1991–2009

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. e0242911
Author(s):  
Batholomew Chireh ◽  
Carl D’Arcy
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Canadian Community Health Survey ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Population Census ◽  
Modifiable Risk Factors ◽  
Canadian Population

Background The prevalence of cognitive impairment or dementia is of public health concern globally. Accurate estimates of this debilitating condition are needed for future public health policy planning. In this study, we estimate prevalence and modifiable risk factors for cognitive impairment by sex over approximately 16 years. Methods Canadian Study of Health and Aging (CSHA) baseline data conducted between 1991–1992 were used to measure the prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia among adults aged 65+ years. The standard Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MS) was used for the screening test for cognitive impairment. We compared the CSHA data with Canadian Community Health Survey–Healthy Aging (CCHS-HA) conducted between 2008–2009. The CCHS-HA used a four-dimension cognitive module to screen for cognitive impairment. Only survey community-dwelling respondents were included in the final sample. After applying exclusion criteria, final samples of (N = 8504) respondents in the CSHA sample and (N = 7764) respondents for CCHS–HA sample were analyzed. To account for changes in the age structure of the Canadian population, prevalence estimates were calculated using age-sex standardization to the 2001 population census of Canada. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine predictors of cognitive impairment. A sex stratified analysis was used to examine risk factors for cognitive impairment in the survey samples. Results We found that prevalence of cognitive impairment among respondents in CSHA sample was 15.5% in 1991 while a prevalence of 10.8% was reported in the CCHS–HA sample in 2009, a 4.7% reduction [15.5% (CI = 14.8–16.3), CSHA vs 10.8% (CI = 10.1–11.5), CCHS–HA]. Men reported higher prevalence of cognitive impairment in CSHA study (16.0%) while women reported higher prevalence of cognitive impairment in CCHS–HA (11.6%). In the multivariable analyses, risk factors such as age, poor self-rated health, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and hearing problems were common to both cohorts. Sex differences in risk factors were also noted. Conclusions This study provides suggestive evidence of a potential reduction in the occurrence of cognitive impairment among community-dwelling Canadian seniors despite the aging of the Canadian population. The moderating roles of improved prevention and treatment of vascular morbidity and improvements in the levels of education of the Canadian population are possible explanations for this decrease in the cognitive impairment.

scholarly journals PRIMARY PREVENTION OF DEMENTIA: THE FUTURE OF POPULATION-BASED MULTIDOMAIN LIFESTYLE INTERVENTIONS

2017 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Y. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Physical Inactivity ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Preventive Strategies ◽  
Dementia Prevalence ◽  
Dementia Prevention ◽  
Low Education ◽  
Disease Modifying ◽  
Potential Public Health

Dementia affects 46.8 million of the world’s population, and is projected to increase to 131.5 million by 2050 (1). Increasingly, with no available disease-modifying drug or cure for the disease, preventive strategies are being pursued to curb the worldwide epidemic. Accumulating evidence supports the importance of dementia prevention, with seven risk factors (diabetes mellitus, midlife obesity, midlife hypertension, physical inactivity, depression, smoking, and low education) estimated to contribute to 9.6 million cases, equivalent to a third of Alzheimer’s disease worldwide (2). The potential public health impact of prevention is huge as a 20% reduction per decade from 2010 in the prevalence of these risk factors would translate to a 16.3% (1.5 million) reduction in dementia prevalence by 2050.

Dementia prevention and reserve against neurodegenerative disease

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-60
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Life Experiences ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Modifiable Risk Factors ◽  
Public Health Interventions ◽  
Complex Disorders ◽  
Dementia Prevention ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Effective Public Health

Similar to other complex disorders, the etiology of Alzheimer disease is multifactorial and characterized by an interplay of biological and environmental risk and protective factors. Potentially modifiable risk factors have emerged from epidemiological research and strategies to prevent neurodegeneration and dementia are currently being tested, including multimodal interventions aiming to reduce several risk factors at once. The concept of reserve was developed based on the observation that certain individual characteristics, such as life experiences, lifestyles, and neurobiological parameters, are associated with a higher resilience against neurodegeneration and its symptoms. Coordinated research is required to maximize the use of available human and financial resources to better understand the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of reserve and to translate research findings into effective public health interventions.

Dementia prevention and reserve against neurodegenerative disease

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-60 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Life Experiences ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Modifiable Risk Factors ◽  
Public Health Interventions ◽  
Complex Disorders ◽  
Dementia Prevention ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Effective Public Health

Similar to other complex disorders, the etiology of Alzheimer disease is multifactorial and characterized by an interplay of biological and environmental risk and protective factors. Potentially modifiable risk factors have emerged from epidemiological research and strategies to prevent neurodegeneration and dementia are currently being tested, including multimodal interventions aiming to reduce several risk factors at once. The concept of reserve was developed based on the observation that certain individual characteristics, such as life experiences, lifestyles, and neurobiological parameters, are associated with a higher resilience against neurodegeneration and its symptoms. Coordinated research is required to maximize the use of available human and financial resources to better understand the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of reserve and to translate research findings into effective public health interventions.

scholarly journals Older Chinese Adults’ Knowledge, Beliefs, Attitudes and Behaviour on Cognitive Health and Ageing: An Exploratory Study in Singapore

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vince Grillo
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Behaviour Change ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Modifiable Risk Factors ◽  
Brain Health ◽  
Chinese Adults ◽  
Cognitive Health ◽  
Dementia Prevention ◽  
Older Chinese ◽  
Older Chinese Adults

Introduction: In recent years there has been increasing strategies to delay onset or progression of dementia, and identification of its modifiable risk factors. Given the collective emphasis on dementia prevention, an in-depth exploratory study is needed to enrich previous research and provide insights on current behaviours and attitudes towards dementia prevention. We aim to investigate the knowledge, beliefs, attitude and behaviour of older Chinese adults on cognitive health and ageing to identify motivators and barriers towards activities of dementia risk reduction. Methods & Materials: In-depth interviews were conducted with 25 older Chinese adults between 50-75 years. The COM-B Framework from the Behavioural Change Wheel was used in the discussion guide design, and to identify themes to cover a. knowledge on brain health; b. perceptions of people with cognitive decline, impairment, and related conditions; and c. habits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Results: Four common insights identified were: a. Overall understanding of dementia remained low even as the word dementia was particularly recognizable among informants; b. Mental health was instinctively perceived to be integral to cognitive health; c. Presence of stigma towards the at-risk population of dementia and its support services; d. There was a basic knowledge of modifiable risk factors of dementia, but the knowledge did not always translate into preventive and health-seeking behaviour for brain health. Conclusion: The study has adopted an innovative approach in using the COM-B Framework of Behaviour Change to unveil motivators and barriers that would influence perceptions of older Chinese adults towards cognitive health and ageing. Elements of behaviour change identified in our research can be used to support older adults and their communities to gain more awareness about dementia, reduce risks and address challenges experienced, creating a supportive community for those at risk and having dementia.

scholarly journals Dementia prevention and reserve against neurodegenerative disease

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-60 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Life Experiences ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Modifiable Risk Factors ◽  
Public Health Interventions ◽  
Complex Disorders ◽  
Dementia Prevention ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Effective Public Health

Similar to other complex disorders, the etiology of Alzheimer disease is multifactorial and characterized by an interplay of biological and environmental risk and protective factors. Potentially modifiable risk factors have emerged from epidemiological research and strategies to prevent neurodegeneration and dementia are currently being tested, including multimodal interventions aiming to reduce several risk factors at once. The concept of reserve was developed based on the observation that certain individual characteristics, such as life experiences, lifestyles, and neurobiological parameters, are associated with a higher resilience against neurodegeneration and its symptoms. Coordinated research is required to maximize the use of available human and financial resources to better understand the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of reserve and to translate research findings into effective public health interventions.

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