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What is the prevalence and associated risk factors of cognitive impairment in older individuals in Sub-Saharan Africa?
Emmanuel Epenge, M.S.
Protestant University of Congo
Kinshasa, Congo (Dem. Republic)
Background
Studies report that nearly two-thirds of individuals with Alzheimer’s and other dementias live in low- and middle-income countries. The Democratic Republic of Congo is a low-income country with a rapidly aging population and a growing number of individuals living with cognitive impairment or other forms of dementia. However, little is known about the prevalence of cognitive impairment and the associated risk factors that contribute to one’s lifetime risk of developing cognitive impairment in this region. Emmanuel Epenge and colleagues have been working in the Democratic Republic of Congo to better understand the unique risk factors and prevalence of cognitive impairment in this population.
Research Plan
For their studies, Emmanuel Epenge and team will use data collected from the Kinshasa School of Public Health that contains information on more than 3,000 older adults living in this region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. From this database of individuals, they will recruit 300 adults aged 70 and older to participant in the study – half from rural district and half from urban districts of the region. Each individual will undergo a medical evaluation and a cognitive assessment, and the researchers will collect demographic and socioeconomic information. The team will first compare health risks factors such as physical activity, weight, and chronic health conditions among older individuals in rural versus urban districts. Next, the researchers will examine the association between these risk factors and prevalence of cognitive impairment for each region.
Impact
Results from this study could provide insight into the prevalence and risk factors of cognitive impairment across the Democratic Republic of Congo. Furthermore, the knowledge gained by this study could also improve the ability of healthcare providers and caregivers to meet the needs of older individuals with cognitive impairment in this region.
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