Dementia in Nepal, surveys onelderly and their family including social and environmental factors for the comparative study with Japan

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24790610
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Public health/Health science
• Research Institution: Fukushima Medical University (2013-2014); Yamagata University (2012)
• Principal Investigator: ISEKI Chifumi 福島県立医科大学, 公私立大学の部局等, 助教 (80436211)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: gerontology / dementia / Nepal / developing country / comparative study / cognitive function / social factors

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To reveal the prevalence of dementia and the associated factors of dementia, we interviewed about 130 elderly people over 60 years of age and their families in Nepal.
The concept of dementia was not common among them and the elderly in Nepal tended to score lower in cognitive examinations than elderly Japanese. The prevalence of dementia above 60 years of age was 10% which seemed to be affected by limited years of education and gender. The attitude of the families of older people in relation to their cognitive changes was receptive and optimistic and they did not regard dementia as a problem.
We also interviewed 20 medical workers in Nepal to guage their awareness of dementia and end-of-life care. This revealed that there was a difference of understanding in the concept of dementia between those in rural areas and in the capital city and there was little association between medical care and end-of-life for people in Nepal.

Free Research Field

神経内科