Dementia risk reduction in China: Country-specific estimates of modifiable risk factors and population attributable fractions(PAFs)
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: This study updates the population attributable fractions (PAFs) for 12 dementia risk factors in China, categorized as early life (education), midlife (obesity, hypertension, hearing loss, alcohol abuse, and traumatic brain injury), and later life(smoking, depression, social isolation, physical inactivity, air pollution, and diabetes).
METHOD: Relative risks and communality were calculated from literature. The prevalence was estimated using the latest Chinese Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS); other nationwide surveys substitute for lacking CHARLS factors.
RESULTS: The 12 risk factors account for 60.3% of dementia cases in China, including 14.0% in early life, 8.8% in midlife, and 37.5% in later life. Some factors (e.g., alcohol abuse, depression) showed wide confidence intervals indicating lack of evidence.
DISCUSSION: This study highlights the potential for dementia prevention in China, but more evidence is needed to estimate PAFs for specific risk factors (e.g., midlife factors).
KEYWORDS: China, population attributable fractions, risk factors for dementia
Yujing Zhou
Master in Epidemiology and Health Statistics
Alzheimer’s disease burden and health policy impact evaluation
Jing Liao
Associate professor, Department of Medical Statistics & Epidemiology| SYSU Global Health Institute (SGHI), Sun Yat-sen University, China
Healthy ageing dynamics, examining social networks × health behaviors × multidimensional functioning (physical/cognitive/social). Uses longitudinal cohort modeling (global datasets) to pinpoint socio-determinants, with RCT-validated interventions.
Yu-Tzu Wu
Royal Statistical Society Chartered Statistician,Fellow of Newcastle University Policy Academy
Ageing research especially the potential impact of environment on health and wellbeing in later life.