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The 10/66 Dementia Research Group has been formed to promote good-quality, internationally comparable research into dementia in developing countries through active research collaboration. In this position paper, we review existing research into dementia prevalence in developing regions of the world. Seven methodologically robust studies were identified. The prevalence of dementia, age-adjusted to the age structure of the Kerala population, ranged from 1.3% to 5.3% for all those aged 60 or over and from 1.7% to 5.2% for all those aged 65 and over. Two studies, from Ibadan, Nigeria and Ballabgarh, India, reported strikingly low prevalence figures. The reported prevalence for most studies was somewhat lower than the consistent figures for Europe reported by the EURODEM concerted action. Based on critical review of the literature, and on the practical research experience of members of the 10/66 group, recommendations have been made for procedure in the following areas: age limits for inclusion in dementia surveys, age ascertainment, sampling, scope for incidence studies, functional assessment and culture- and education-fair dementia diagnosis., (Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Objectives: This systematic review and meta‐analysis aimed to determine the prevalence of loneliness and social isolation among informal carers of individuals with dementia and to identify potential influencing factors. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search across 10 electronic databases, including PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, Chinese Biomedical, China National Knowledge Internet, and WANFANG. Our search strategy covered the inception of the databases up to September 16, 2023, with an updated search conducted on March 8, 2024. Prevalence estimates of loneliness and social isolation, presented with 95% confidence intervals, were synthesized through meta‐analysis. Subgroup analyses and meta‐regression were employed to explore potential moderating variables and heterogeneity. Results: The study encompassed 27 research papers involving 11,134 informal carers from 17 different countries. The pooled prevalence of loneliness among informal carers of individuals with dementia was 50.8% (95% CI: 41.8%–59.8%), while the pooled prevalence of social isolation was 37.1% (95% CI: 26.7%–47.6%). Subgroup analyses and meta‐regression indicated that various factors significantly influenced the prevalence of loneliness and social isolation. These factors included the caregiving setting, study design, the intensity of loneliness, geographical location (continent), data collection time, and the choice of assessment tools. Conclusions: This study underscores the substantial prevalence of loneliness and social isolation among informal carers of individuals with dementia. It suggests that policymakers and healthcare providers should prioritize the development of targeted interventions and support systems to alleviate loneliness and social isolation within this vulnerable population. Key points: Informal carers of people with dementia contend with unique circumstances that render them susceptible to both loneliness and social isolation.There is a significant prevalence of loneliness and social isolation in informal carers of individuals with dementia.Several significant moderators influence the prevalence of loneliness and social isolation among informal carers of individuals with dementia.Moderator analysis can guide targeted interventions and support systems for at‐risk informal carers of people with dementia to alleviate loneliness and social isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Older Asians and Chinese are among the least studied populations in the dementia caregiving literature. This review seeks to critically synthesize the literature on intervention characteristics, components and tailoring strategies for dementia family caregivers in Chinese communities globally., Methods: Five electronic databases (PsychINFO, PubMed, CINAHL, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar) were searched for articles published between 1980 and July 2018. The protocol of this review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42019132800)., Results: Twenty-nine unique interventions across 39 papers met inclusion criteria. Results from descriptive and thematic syntheses revealed that most interventions were psychoeducational, CBT-based, multicomponent, structured, and less than a year in duration. Disease education, management of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, stress coping techniques, and referral to community resources were frequently included in interventions. Community-, culture- and language-focused strategies were used to tailor interventions. The most common tailoring strategies were: (a) using community networks and media for outreach and recruitment; (b) making translations and language adaptations to the intervention materials; and (c) focusing on trust and therapeutic alliance. Most interventions produced desired outcomes, particularly reducing caregiver burden and increasing self-efficacy., Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first review to date that systematically synthesized the characteristics and tailoring of dementia caregiving interventions for Chinese families globally. Current findings suggest that most interventions are effective, although many only superficially address Chinese culture. Future research should incorporate Chinese values and cross-cultural challenges into caregiving interventions for deep-level adaptations that could potentially be more effective to engage and support Chinese caregivers., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

There is little information on dementia research in China in the international literature. This paper is an overview of studies on dementia conducted in China. Studies on dementia research in China were identified through a literature search, as well as through consulting Chinese psychiatrists and neurologists with expertise in the field. These studies were then reviewed. Epidemiological studies on dementia in China find the rates of dementia at the lower end of rates in Caucasians. There seems to be regional variation in the ratio of vascular dementia to Alzheimer's disease in China. In addition to epidemiological studies, there are studies on the genetics, psychopathology, neurophysiology and drug treatment in dementia. There is much research activity in China in the field of dementia and further cross-cultural studies are useful to examine the cultural differences in various areas of dementia research., (Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Background This paper describes the development and validation of the Memory Inventory for Chinese (MIC), for measuring the awareness of memory deficits in the Chinese population with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods A combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches was adopted. The MIC was developed with focus group discussion and pilot testing. It has a patient and a caregiver version. A consecutive series of 79 new out-patients with the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorder Association (NINCDS-ADRDA) criteria of probable and possible AD and 20 non-demented elderly subjects were recruited. Results A high internal consistency was found, with Cronbach alpha of 0.89 for the patient version and 0.90 for the caregiver version of MIC. The inter-rater reliability was satisfactory. For validity assessment, the caregiver score of the MIC correlated significantly with cognitive score of the subject as assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination (rp = -0.37; p < 0.01). The Memory Deficit Awareness Score, calculated by subtracting the patient score from the caregiver score, correlated significantly with clinician ratings of awareness of memory impairment (rs = -0.67; p < 0.01). Conclusions The MIC appears to be a culturally appropriate and valid instrument for the measurement of awareness of memory deficits in Chinese patients with AD. Potential applications of the MIC should be further explored in other subtypes of dementia and in prospective studies. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: More people with dementia live in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs) than in high‐income countries, but best‐practice care recommendations are often based on studies from high‐income countries. We aimed to map the available evidence on dementia interventions in LMICs. Methods: We systematically mapped available evidence on interventions that aimed to improve the lives of people with dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and/or their carers in LMICs (registered on PROSPERO: CRD42018106206). We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2008 and 2018. We searched 11 electronic academic and grey literature databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL Plus, Global Health, World Health Organization Global Index Medicus, Virtual Health Library, Cochrane CENTRAL, Social Care Online, BASE, MODEM Toolkit) and examined the number and characteristics of RCTs according to intervention type. We used the Cochrane risk of bias 2.0 tool to assess the risk of bias. Results: We included 340 RCTs with 29,882 (median, 68) participants, published 2008–2018. Over two‐thirds of the studies were conducted in China (n = 237, 69.7%). Ten LMICs accounted for 95.9% of included RCTs. The largest category of interventions was Traditional Chinese Medicine (n = 149, 43.8%), followed by Western medicine pharmaceuticals (n = 109, 32.1%), supplements (n = 43, 12.6%), and structured therapeutic psychosocial interventions (n = 37, 10.9%). Overall risk of bias was judged to be high for 201 RCTs (59.1%), moderate for 136 (40.0%), and low for 3 (0.9%). Conclusions: Evidence‐generation on interventions for people with dementia or MCI and/or their carers in LMICs is concentrated in just a few countries, with no RCTs reported in the vast majority of LMICs. The body of evidence is skewed towards selected interventions and overall subject to high risk of bias. There is a need for a more coordinated approach to robust evidence‐generation for LMICs. Key points: While the majority of people with dementia reside in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs), it is not known what types of interventions have been studied in these settings and how effective they are.We conducted the first comprehensive mapping study of interventions for people with dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and/or their carers in LMICs.This high‐level overview of dementia intervention research in LMICs identified the following gaps: dementia intervention research is highly concentrated in just a few LMICs, and skewed towards Traditional Chinese Medicine, Western pharmaceuticals, and supplements, with comparatively little evidence generated on interventions for carers.Lack of robust and locally relevant evidence on effective interventions presents a substantial challenge to designing evidence‐based treatment and care systems that help people with dementia or MCI and their carers to live better lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study aims to synthesise evidence on time trends of dementia prevalence in East Asian countries including Japan, China, South Korea and Taiwan and assess the impact of the societal changes on future prevalence. Method Relevant reviews and recent nationwide studies in East Asia were identified to investigate changes in prevalence of dementia over time taking into account the potential impact of methodological factors and study designs. Results The robust evidence that has been interpreted to suggest a substantial increasing trend over time is less compelling once fundamental differences in study methods and populations across individual surveys are considered. In Japan, longitudinal studies in small areas suggest the potential increase of prevalence after 2000. Increasing trends in China, South Korea and Taiwan over the last 20-30 years are based on the literature review without adjustment for methodological differences. Economic development and huge societal changes alongside the rise of non-communicable disease in East Asia could lead to increasing prevalence of dementia in the future once those cohorts with high risk of dementia reached their older age. Conclusion Current evidence is not sufficient to suggest increasing trends of dementia prevalence in East Asia. Longitudinal studies with representative samples and stable methodology are needed to provide fundamental information of the epidemiology of dementia and identify important risk factors in East Asian societies. © 2015 The Authors. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dementia has been a major public health problem and mild cognitive impairment is considered the pre-dementia syndrome in recent years. However, there has not yet been a systematic analysis of the prevalence of mild cognitive impairment in China. Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyse the prevalence of mild cognitive impairment among the population aged 60 years and older in China. Methods: Epidemiological investigations on mild cognitive impairment in China published in journals were identified manually and online by using CBMDISK, ChongqingVIP database and CNKI database. Those reported in English journals were identified using MEDLINE. Selected studies had to describe an original study defined by strict screening and diagnostic criteria. The fixed effects model or random effects model was employed according to statistical test for homogeneity. Results: Twenty-two studies were selected, the statistical information of which was collected for systematic analysis. The results showed that the pooled prevalence of MCI for the elderly population was 12.7% (95% CI: 9.7–16.5%). In eastern and western China, the prevalence of MCI was 9.6 and 14.7%, respectively. There was a higher prevalence of MCI in the illiterate elderly population than in those who received years of education. Conclusions: The prevalence of MCI affected by sex, age,education, which was lower in eastern than that in western China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Chronic physical comorbidity is common in dementia. However, there is an absence of evidence to support good practice guidelines for attention to these problems. We aimed to study the extent of this comorbidity and its impact on cognitive function and disability in population-based studies in low and middle income countries, where chronic diseases and impairments are likely to be both common and undertreated. Methods: A multicentre cross-sectional survey of all over 65 year old residents (n¼15 022) in 11 catchment areas in China, India, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico and Peru. We estimated the prevalence of pain, incontinence, hearing and visual impairments, mobility impairment and undernutrition according to the presence of dementia and its severity, and, among those with dementia, the independent contribution of these impairments to cognitive function and disability, adjusting for age, gender, education and dementia severity. Results: Incontinence, hearing impairment, mobility impairment and undernutrition were consistently linearly associated with the presence of dementia and its severity across regions. Among people with dementia, incontinence, hearing impairment and mobility impairment were independently associated with disability in all regions while the contributions of pain, visual impairment and undernutrition were inconsistent. Only hearing impairment made a notable independent contribution to cognitive impairment. Conclusions: There is an urgent need for clinical trials of the feasibility, efficacy and cost-effectiveness of regular physical health checks and remediation of identified pathologies, given the considerable comorbidity identified in our population based studies, and the strong evidence for independent impact upon functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Little is known about the performance of the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) in the screening of post-stroke dementia (PSDE). Methods At 3 months after the index stroke, a research assistant administered the IQCODE to relatives of 189 Chinese patients with acute stroke who were consecutively admitted to a general hospital. A psychiatrist, who was blind to the IQCODE scores, interviewed all 189 patients and made DSM-IV diagnosis of dementia, which served as the benchmark for judging the performance of IQCODE in screening PSDE. Results The optimal cut-off point of IQCODE was 3.40. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of IQCODE, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, were 88%, 75%, 33%, 98%, and 0.88, respectively. Conclusions When used as a sole instrument, IQCODE does not appear to be useful in screening PSDE in Chinese elderly. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article comments on Mahnaz Hashmi's article that offers an anthropological perspective on the conceptualization of dementia. A decription of personhood and selfhood in Chinese culture is provided, along with the experience of dementia in China. It points out that cultural bias in the evaluation and diagnosis of dementia can influence the validity of cross-cultural comparisons. It contends that culture also affects the assessment of cognitive function or functional impairment.