Prevalence of mild cognitive impairment and dementia among the elderly population of Qena Governorate, Upper Egypt: a community-based study.

BACKGROUND

There are only a few reports which provide prevalence rates of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia specifically in Arabic countries.

OBJECTIVE

This study is aimed at estimating the prevalence of MCI and dementia among subjects aged ≥60 years using door-to-door survey in Qena Governorate/Egypt.

METHODS

We conducted a door-to-door survey with multistage probability random sampling. Screening of all subjects aged ≥60 years (n = 691) employed a simple questionnaire including changes in memory, behavior, and daily activity, Memory and Executive Screening test (MES)as well as the Mini-Mental State Examination. Suspected cases were referred to the hospital for full clinical examination, DSM-IV diagnostic criteria, Hachinski Ischemic Score, neuroimaging, and laboratory investigations if indicated.

RESULTS

Of the 691 participants, 12 cases had MCI, giving a crude prevalence rate (CPR) of 1.74/100 and 35 were identified as positive for dementia with a CPR of 5.07/100. The highest age-specific prevalence rates were recorded among subjects ≥85 years old (100/100). The CPRs were significantly higher in urban than rural areas (7.1 versus 3.27/100, respectively; p = 0.03), in industrial areas than non-industrial areas (13.23 versus 1.99; p = 0.00001), and in illiterate than literate participants (10.12 versus 2.25/100; p = 0.00001).

CONCLUSION

Overall, the prevalence rate of MCI and dementia were lower in Qena/Egypt than in other countries. Advanced age, illiteracy, and living in an industrial area were found to be associated with dementia.