[Epidemiology of Alzheimer's disease in the selected region of Wielkopolska (town and commune Steszew)]

Abstract

An epidemiological survey of Alzheimer's disease (senile dementia of Alzheimer type) was conducted on the territory of town and commune Steszew, lying in the Poznań district, with a population of 13,023 on the appointed day, December 31, 1988. Clinical diagnosis was established by detailed anamnesis, neurological, general and psychological examinations. Also a clinical questionnaire containing ischemic scale after Hachinski et al., (1975) was evaluated. The detected overall prevalence rate of Alzheimer's dementia on the appointed day (December 31, 1988) was 1105.7 per 100 thousand population, whereas in the group of persons over 65 years was 10059.2 per 100 thousand. The prevalence rate of severe cases of Alzheimer's disease was established in the group of population over 65 year on 2662.7 per 100 thousand. The detected overall incidence rate of Alzheimer's disease in the year 1988 was in the age class 45-65 years 201.5 per 100 thousand, and in the group over 65 years 2588.8 per 100 thousand. The obtained results of our investigations in the population of western Poland are in the lower part of dispersion of the epidemiologic data on Alzheimer's disease in the world scale. The results indicate that too rarely is diagnosed Alzheimer's disease as a cause of dementia in elderly people, and too often the cerebrovascular disease. The high prevalence rate of demented people in senility indicates on great importance of organization of Inpatients Senior Clinics in which a part of those people shall find a place.