Screening of Alzheimer disease in Elderlies Population of Shiraz, Iran

Background and Aim: There is a tremendous increasing trend in elderly population throughout the world compared to other age groups. Alzheimer disease (AD) is one of the prevalent disabling disorders in aging and characterized by a progressive decline in cognitive function, which typically begins with deterioration in memory. This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of AD in elderlies of shiraz, Iran. Methods: In this population based and cross-sectional study through a multi stage sampling and byusing Montral Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) questionnaire through a face to face interview, AD of elderly people was assessed. Data were analysed in IBM SPSS 25 statistics.Results: This study consisted of 182 elderlies with mean age of 66.9 ± 5 years. Among interviewees,130 (71.4%) were single, 87 (48.7%) were male and 161 (88.5%) of subjects had lower 12 years’ education. Additionally, 155 (85.2%), 79 (43.4%), 67 (36.8%) and 16 (8.8%) of elderlies used to use or read mobile, book, newspaper and computer respectively. The prevalence of AD was 84.6 %. The risk of Alzheimer s disease was lower in those who had higher than 12 years’ education. Conclusion: Regarding the high prevalence of AD and the role of its consequences in the various dimensions of the life of elderlies and their relatives, screening of elderlies for AD through integrative care of geriatrics in family physician program is recommended.

Keywords:

Prevalence , Screening , Alzheimer Disease , Elderlies