Prevalence of dementia among elderly people living in Cotonou, an urban area of Benin (West Africa).
Prevalence of dementia among elderly people living in Cotonou, an urban area of Benin (West Africa).
BACKGROUND/AIMS
The population of Benin is, like those of most developing countries, aging; dementia is therefore a major concern. Our goal was to estimate the prevalence of dementia in an elderly population living in urban Benin.
METHODS
In a cross-sectional community-based study, people aged 65 years and above were screened using the Community Screening Interview for Dementia and the Five-Word Test.
RESULTS
The prevalence of dementia was 3.7% (95% CI 2.6-4.8) overall. The figure increased with age and was higher among women than men.
CONCLUSION
Dementia was slightly more prevalent than previously reported in a rural area of Benin, but the rate was similar to that recorded in other cities in developing countries.