High Prevalence and Low Awareness of Mild Cognitive Impairment in a Suburban Community in Shanghai.

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), herein China, was without involving the suburban communities, where the awareness of MCI still remains extremely weak.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to investigate the prevalence of MCI in the Chinese residents aged ≥65 in the suburban communities of Shanghai, China, and study the awareness of MCI in terms of its symptom, prevention, and intervention.

METHODS

A total of 925 suburban community residents aged ≥65 were evaluated with a series of clinical examinations and scale questionnaire, and 600 participated in a five-dimension questionnaire survey pertaining to the awareness of MCI.

RESULTS

The prevalence of MCI was up to 29.8% and of dementia was 11.1%, respectively. A difference was observed among the three groups of dementia, MCI, and normal in each dimension of age, gender, education, being widowed, and living with the next generation (P < 0.05). The degree of cognitive impairment was linearly correlated with age (P < 0.001). The prevalence of MCI was higher in the females (P < 0.001), in the group of low educational level (P < 0.001), in the widowed residents (P < 0.01), and in those who did not live with their next generations (P < 0.01). The family's concern for MCI symptoms in the elderly accounted for 60%; the awareness rate of MCI symptoms, 25.5%; the awareness rate of MCI prevention, 15.5%; and the rate of taking MCI seniors to the doctor, 32%.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of MCI in the suburban communities of Shanghai was high but the awareness of MCI was low.