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

Abstract

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.

Keywords: Alzheimer's dementia; Qena/Egypt; dementia; non-Alzheimer's dementia; prevalence; vascular dementia.