Dementia status and related factors among the elderly in Binh Thanh commune, Duc Hue district, Long An province in 2019

Abstract

Dementia is one of the major causes of disability and functional dependence among the elderly. There is currently no cure for dementia, so preventive measures and early detection of the disease are of top priority, especially in remote and isolated areas where access to medical care is limited. This study aimed to describe dementia status and the factors related to dementia among the elderly in Binh Thanh commune, Duc Hue district, Long An province in 2019. A cross-sectional study was performed on 342 elderly people (≥60 years old). Information was collected through the MiniCog scale and structured questionnaires on socio-demographic characteristics, living habits and sleep quality. The results showed that the rate of dementia among the elderly is 33%. The proportion of the elderly who had poor sleep quality was 78.1%. The rate of dementia has gradually increased with age. When education level, frequency of exercise and frequency of participation in social activities increase, the rate of dementia decreases. People with poor sleep quality had a higher rate of dementia than people with good sleep quality.