International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology

International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology ISSN 2326-7291 Vol. 8 (3), pp. 001-004, March, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Prevalence of dementia in an elderly illiterate native Mexican population of indigenous origin

Rafael Stryjer ^{1, 4}*, Baruch Spivak^{1, 4}, Roni Shiloh^{2, 4}, Lea Polak^{3, 4},Abraham Weizman^{2, 4} and Josè Martin Rabey^{3, 4}

¹Beer Yaakov-Ness-Ziona Mental Health Center, Ness-Ziona, Israel.

²Geha Mental Health Center, Petah-Tikva, Israel.

³Assaf Harofeh, Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel.

⁴Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.

Accepted 21 February, 2019

Abstract

This study aimed to clarify whether or not low level of education may function as a risk factor for dementia among native Mexicans. A door-to-door survey study in an elderly illiterate native Mexican subpopulation of indigenous origin was performed in order to detect prevalence of dementia using both DSM-IV criteria and the Brookdale test. The total village population surveyed included 2226 inhabitants, of which 65 subjects were over 65 years. Dementia, according to DSM IV criteria, was diagnosed in 8 patients above 65 years (9.4% of the target population), while, according to the Brookdale test, it was diagnosed in 5 patients above 65 years (5.9% of the target population). We found a higher prevalence of dementia according to DSM-IV in patients above 65 years (9.4%) in our study subpopulation, which may support the assumption that low education as well as age may contribute to a higher prevalence of dementia.

Key words: Dementia, Brookdale test, DSM-IV, illiteracy.