Dementia Is On The Rise Worldwide. Here’s How To Stop It

Healthcare Dementia Is On The Rise Worldwide. Here’s How To Stop It Sophie Okolo Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. I write about illness and death, healthy aging, and technology impact.

May 26, 2022, 07:49pm EDT | Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Image of daughter holding the mother’s hand and encourage while her mother sitting on bed in . . .

[+] hospital. getty Before 2020, dementia and memory loss were a major part of the global health care conversation. Dementia is currently the seventh leading cause of death worldwide, and the emergence of Covid-19 has shone a light on its implications for dementia.

But an underlying, hidden pandemic has been growing – a rise in dementia cases. A new study published in The Lancet Public Health reported that the number of adults (aged 40 years and older) living with dementia worldwide is expected to nearly triple, from an estimated 57 million in 2019 to 153 million in 2050, unless countries address risk factors. Dementia cases will rise in every country, with the smallest estimated increases in high-income Asia Pacific (53%) and western Europe (74%), and the largest growth in north Africa and the Middle East (367%) and eastern sub-Saharan Africa (357%).

Population growth and population aging are the main reasons behind a large rise in global dementia cases. The world population is projected to reach 8. 5 billion in 2030 and increase further to 9.

7 billion in 2050 and 11. 2 billion by 2100. Also, in nearly all regions of the world, the population ages 65 and older is growing faster than the total population.

That comes with a caveat: Although dementia mainly affects older adults, it is not a normal part of aging. The Lancet study analyzed dementia prevalence in 195 countries worldwide and highlighted the impact four risk factors — smoking, obesity, high blood sugar, and low education — will have on future trends. According to the study, improvements in global education access are projected to reduce dementia prevalence by 6·2 million cases worldwide by 2050.

But this will be countered by anticipated trends in obesity, high blood sugar, and smoking, which are expected to result in an additional 6·8 million dementia cases. Can we really solve the dementia crisis as easily as targeting risk factors? MORE FOR YOU CDC: Salmonella Outbreak Has Left 279 Ill, 26 Hospitalized In 29 States Canadians End Up In ICU After Attending ‘Covid Party’ White House Mandates Pfizer Vaccines for Millions of Citizens . .

. Before the FDA Clinical or Safety Reviews Have Been Made Public Research shows healthy lifestyle behaviors can reduce dementia risk despite a family history of dementia. Yet, lifestyle and genetics play a small role, according to a 2019 Jama Study.

“If populations at high genetic risk changed their lifestyle, and if the lifestyle was known to be the cause of AD (a big if), one out of 121 dementia cases would be prevented in 10 years. This is significant, but what number of lifestyle modifications would it take for the prevention of AD in 10, 50, or even 120 people? Do genetics even matter?” – says Dr. Chirag Patel , Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Informatics at Harvard Medical School.

While research also shows that a healthy lifestyle can help reduce your risk of developing dementia when you are older, there is no certain way to prevent all types of dementia. As long Covid and other medical conditions have shown, we may never know if we develop a health condition, despite having no family history. Sometimes a diagnosed medical condition makes zero sense for someone who is health-conscious compared to others who seem to play Russian roulette with their health.

But human bodies are complex, and medicine, despite its advances, still ignores social forces. For example, stress affects the immune system, which is known to play an important role in the development of dementia. WESTMINSTER – SEPTEMBER 8: The daily note for Bruce Vincent, who suffers from Alzheimer’s Disease, .

. . [+] from his wife Cindy before she goes to work.

He spends the day at home with his mother-in-law Joanne LaCourse one day a week keeping him company as he is transitioning out of his job due to the disease. (Photo by Bill Greene/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) Boston Globe via Getty Images Not surprisingly, the key to achieving good health is dependent on geographic location, level of education, income, ethnicity, job, and social connections within the community, more so than access to healthcare. These factors are collectively known as the social determinants of health (SDoH), describing “the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age,” as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Public health has long championed SDoH, and it is high time we look at dementia through the lens of SDoH and population health. Studies has revealed the positive correlation between SDoH and quality of life. Hence doctors need to take a whole-person, integrative approach to health instead of focusing only on physical health.

Focusing on SDoH can help prevent or reverse problems that will save money in the long run. It will take a concerted effort on various fronts to tackle dementia effectively. But we cannot underestimate the importance of science and health communication and investing in dementia research.

Raising awareness of the signs of dementia and better communicating the steps toward earlier diagnosis must be a priority. Low- and middle-income countries should implement policies now that can reduce dementia risk factors for the future, such as prioritizing education and healthy lifestyles. “There is a considerable and urgent need to reinforce a public health approach toward dementia,” says Drs.

Michaël Schwarzinger and Carole Dufouil, teaching fellows at the Bordeaux University Hospital in France. “And to better inform the people and decision-makers about the appropriate means to delay or avoid these dire projections. ” Globally, more women are affected by dementia than men.

Hence research priorities in dementia can focus on sex and gender differences. More funding is also needed for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease research worldwide, especially research on how the brain works. Of all life-threatening illnesses people face, AD is most feared and the most common form of dementia.

If we hope to improve the quality of life for both current and future older adults, we must reframe the conversation about dementia to focus on action, ideas, and strengths. Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn . Check out my website .

Sophie Okolo Editorial Standards Print Reprints & Permissions.