Ferri Cleusa P, Oliveira Deborah
PhD, MD. Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Department of Psychiatry, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Heath Technology Assessment Unit, Hospital Alemão Oswaldo Cruz, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Dement Neuropsychol. 2019 Oct-Dec;13(4):363-366. doi: 10.1590/1980-57642018dn13-040001.
Evidence on dementia in Latin America (LA) is limited and varies between and within countries, contributing to a delay in the establishment and implementation of dementia action plans by governments and services. The harmonization of standardised measurement outcomes and the use of unified databases that address the key issues affecting the LA population can help address this issue. This paper is based on a presentation delivered at a satellite Alzheimer's Association International Conference held in April 2019, in Brazil, and aims to discuss the challenges and benefits of harmonizing epidemiological studies on dementia in the region. First, we mention some of the characteristics of LA in relation to geography, population, socioeconomic and epidemiological conditions, which could potentially affect preventative measures and dementia diagnosis in the region. Second, we cite some studies to demonstrate how research on dementia in LA is limited and uses diverse methodology. We proceed by justifying the need for harmonization of epidemiological studies in LA and discuss what type of data could be harmonised. We conclude by briefly mentioning harmonization in relation to risk factors for dementia.
拉丁美洲（LA）有关痴呆症的证据有限，且各国之间以及国家内部情况各异，这导致政府和服务机构在制定和实施痴呆症行动计划方面有所延迟。统一标准化测量结果，并使用能解决影响拉丁美洲人口的关键问题的统一数据库，有助于解决这一问题。本文基于2019年4月在巴西举行的阿尔茨海默病协会国际会议卫星会议上的一次演讲，旨在探讨该地区痴呆症流行病学研究统一化的挑战与益处。首先，我们提及拉丁美洲在地理、人口、社会经济和流行病学状况方面的一些特征，这些特征可能会影响该地区的预防措施和痴呆症诊断。其次，我们引用一些研究来说明拉丁美洲痴呆症研究是如何受限且采用多种方法的。接着，我们阐述了拉丁美洲统一流行病学研究的必要性，并讨论了哪些类型的数据可以统一。最后，我们简要提及与痴呆症风险因素相关的统一化问题。
