Rarity of dementia (by DSM-III-R) in an urban community in Nigeria.
Dementia of the elderly, a public health problem world-wide, is underdocumented in black Africa. We carried out a door-to-door survey in Idikan in NW3 ward, a political and administrative unit, with a population of 9000: in Ibadan city, Nigeria, to determine the burden of dementia. Census and demographic listing was done by trained clinical students who concurrently administered a modified Mini Mental State Examination as a screening instrument to those aged 40 years or more. Only 2 out of 932 subjects refused: 293 (31%) were aged 65 years or more. Those who were positive to the screening test and 20% of negatives were investigated by neurologists. Decline in cognitive function significantly correlated with age, female sex and low level of education. Impaired cognition was present in 41 (4.4%) but was due to depressive disorders in 7 (0.6%) patients. In none of the remaining 34 (3.8%) subjects could a diagnosis of dementia as defined by DSM-III-R be justified.
Ogunniyi
A O
AO
Department of Medicine, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
Osuntokun
B O
BO
Lekwauwa
U B
UB
Falope
Z F
ZF
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D014505:Urban Population