Prevalence and Factors Associated with Dementia Among Older Adults in Mueang Lopburi District, Lopburi Province.

Abstract

      This retrospective analytical study aimed to investigate the prevalence of dementia and its associated factors among older adults in Mueang Lop Buri District, Lop Buri Province. The study sample consisted of 354 older adults aged 60 years and above residing in Mueang Lop Buri District. Data were collected using a structured data collection form and analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Factors associated with dementia were identified using multivariable logistic regression analysis.

      The results revealed that the prevalence of dementia among older adults in Mueang Lop Buri District was 8.5%. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified four factors significantly associated with dementia at the 0.05 level. First, educational attainment was significantly associated with dementia. Older adults with no formal education or only primary school education were 3.35 times more likely to have dementia than those who had completed secondary education or higher (Adjusted OR = 3.35, 95% CI: 1.02–11.45, p = 0.046). Second, participants aged 70 years and older had a 2.91-fold higher risk of dementia compared with those aged 60–69 years (Adjusted OR = 2.91, 95% CI: 1.10–7.68, p = 0.031). Third, participants who exercised irregularly or did not exercise at all were 2.55 times more likely to have dementia than those who exercised regularly (Adjusted OR = 2.55, 95% CI: 1.01–6.64, p = 0.048). Finally, individuals with vision loss were 3.92 times more likely to have dementia than those with normal vision (Adjusted OR = 3.92, 95% CI: 1.81–9.66, p = 0.031).

      In conclusion, this study suggests that, in addition to non-modifiable factors such as age and educational attainment, modifiable factors including physical inactivity and vision loss are significantly associated with dementia among older adults in the community. Therefore, local public health authorities should implement proactive policies for screening and treating visual impairment among older adults, including cataract surgery when appropriate, alongside promoting safe and accessible exercise programs tailored to their physical capabilities. Such interventions may contribute to delaying and preventing the onset of dementia in the older population.