Risk Factors of Dementia in Elderly of Bandung City, Indonesia: A Community-Dwelling Study

Abstract

Background: Multiple organ degenerative processes are parts of a normal biological process in aging. One of the geriatric syndromes is cognitive disorders that range from a mild cognitive impairment to dementia. The aim of this study was to analyze factors contributing to the occurrence of dementia in the elderly. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted using secondary data on 306 elderly people who visited the Integrated Health Post ( Pos Pembinaan Terpadu , Posbindu ) from June to August 2016 in Bandung City, Indonesia. Nine variables were included in this study: age, gender, education level, marital status, occupation, living arrangements, social participation, comorbidity, and dementia. The dementia status was measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination and Mini Cog Assessment instruments. Data were then analyzed statistically using Chi-Square, Fisher Exact, and Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests, as well as using the multivariate logistic regression. Results: Around 35.3% (95%CI=30%–40.6%) of respondents had dementia. There were relationships between dementia and age (p=0.035), level of education (p=0.000), and social participation (p=0.001). Social participation was the most dominant risk factor of dementia (OR=2.703;95%CI=1.491-4.902). Conclusions: Age, education level, and social participation are risk factors that contribute to dementia. The elderly who has less than two times per week of social participation has a 2.7 times higher risk for having dementia compared to the elderly who has more than two times per week of social participation.