Education and occupation as risk factors for dementia: a population-based case-control study.
To further investigate the putative associations between education and dementia and between occupation and dementia, we conducted a population-based case-control study. Cases were all subjects affected by dementia ascertained through a prevalence survey conducted in the municipality of Appignano, Macerata Province, Italy. For each case (n = 48), we randomly selected 2 population controls residing in the same municipality and matched for age and sex (n = 96). Information regarding exposures was collected by nonmedical personnel during the first contact for the prevalence survey. Although we found a striking trend toward decreasing prevalence with increasing education, this association was suggestive but not significant after age and sex adjustment at case-control analyses (odds ratio for illiterates = 1.4; 95% CI 0.6-3.1). In contrast, we found a significant association between manual principal lifetime occupation and dementia using both unadjusted and adjusted analyses (odds ratio = 2.9; 95% CI 1.2-7.4). Our findings suggest that, although education and occupation are related, occupation is a stronger indicator of risk than education.
Bonaiuto
S
S
Istituto Nazionale di Riposo e Cura per Anziani, Macerata, Italy.
Rocca
W A
WA
Lippi
A
A
Giannandrea
E
E
Mele
M
M
Cavarzeran
F
F
Amaducci
L
L
D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D015995:Prevalence