title: Incidence and predictors of cognitive impairment and dementia in Aboriginal Australians: A follow-up study of 5 years.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aboriginal Australians are reported to develop dementia earlier than the general population. The causes remain unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a longitudinal study of 363 participants aged ≥45 years. Consensus diagnoses were established for cognitive impairment or dementia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At follow-up, 189 people (mean ± standard deviation age, 65.4 ± 10.3 years) participated, as 109 (30%) had died and 65 (18%) were unavailable. The incidence of cognitive impairment or dementia was 52.6 (95% confidence interval 33.9, 81.5) per 1000 person-years (380.3 total person-years) and for dementia was 21.0 (10.5, 42.1) per 1000 person-years (380.3 person-years total) over the age 60 years. Longitudinal risk factors associated with a decline from normal cognition to impairment were age and head injury. Other associations with cognitive decline were stroke, head injury, nonaspirin analgesics, lower BMI, and higher systolic BP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dementia incidence in Aboriginal Australians is among the highest in the world, and is associated with age and head injury.
authors.affiliation: Aged Care, Melbourne Health, Melbourne, Australia; WA Centre for Health & Ageing, Centre for Medical Research, Perth, Australia. Electronic address: dina.logiudice@mhorg.au.
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lo Giudice
authors.affiliation: WA Centre for Health & Ageing, Centre for Medical Research, Perth, Australia.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Australia.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fenner
authors.affiliation: WA Centre for Health & Ageing, Centre for Medical Research, Perth, Australia; School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
authors.forename: Zoë
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hyde
authors.affiliation: Rural Clinical School of WA, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia; Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services, Broome, Australia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.affiliation: WA Centre for Health & Ageing, Centre for Medical Research, Perth, Australia.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Skeaf
authors.affiliation: WA Centre for Health & Ageing, Centre for Medical Research, Perth, Australia.
authors.forename: Roslyn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Malay
authors.affiliation: WA Centre for Health & Ageing, Centre for Medical Research, Perth, Australia; School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia; Department of Geriatric Medicine, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Australia.
authors.forename: Leon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Flicker
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors
keywords: Cognition; Cohort study; Dementia; Indigenous; Older people