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Dementia Underestimated In Developing Countries

(HealthDay News) -- Rates of dementia in developing countries have been greatly underestimated, according to researchers who used a specially-developed method of calculating dementia prevalence.

Previous studies have suggested that rates of dementia in developing countries are much lower than in high-income countries. However, the quality and evidence base of these studies are poor, according to the authors of the new study, who are members of the 10/66 Research Group.

The group is named to reflect the global research community's neglect of dementia patients in developing countries. Just 10 percent of research is focused on the 66 percent of dementia patients living in low- and middle-income countries.

The standard DSM-IV criteria for dementia diagnosis are too restrictive, requiring memory impairment (which is not an early feature in some dementia subtypes), and clear evidence of social and occupational impairment (which can be difficult to establish in low- and middle-income countries), according to background information in the study.

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