Background: The criterion for dementia implicit in DSM-IV is widely used in research but not fully operationalised. The 10/66 Dementia Research Group sought to do this using assessments from their one phase dementia diagnostic research interview, and to validate the resulting algorithm in a population-based study in Cuba.

INTRODUCTION Population aging translates into more people with chronic non-communicable diseases, disability, frailty and dependency. The study of frailty-a clinical syndrome associated with an increased risk of falls, disability, hospitalization, institutionalization and death-is important to improve clinical practice and population health indicators.OBJECTIVES In a cohort of older adults in Havana and Matanzas provinces, Cuba, estimate prevalence of frailty and its risk factors; determine incidence of dependency; estimate mortality risk and identify mortality predictors.METHODS A prospective longitudinal study was conducted door to door, from June 2003 through July 2011, in a cohort of 2813 adults aged ≥65 years living in selected municipalities of Havana and Matanzas provinces; mean followup time was 4.1 years. Independent variables included demographics, behavioral risk factors and socioeconomic indicators, chronic non-communicable diseases (hypertension, stroke, dementia, depression, diabetes, anemia), number of comorbidities, and APOE ε4 genotype. Dependent variables were frailty, dependency and mortality. Criteria for frailty were slow walking speed, exhaustion, weight loss, low physical activity and cognitive decline. Prevalence and frailty risk were estimated by Poisson regression, while dependency and mortality risks and their predictors were determined using Cox regression. RESULTSFrailty syndrome prevalence was 21.6% (CI 17.9%-23.8%) at baseline; it was positively associated with advanced age, anemia and presence of comorbidities (stroke, dementia, depression, three or more physically debilitating diseases). Male sex, higher educational level, married or partnered status, and more household amenities were inversely associated with frailty prevalence.In followup, dependency incidence was 33.1 per 1000 personyears (CI 29.1-37.6) and mortality was 55.1 per 1000 person-years. Advanced age, male sex, lower occupational status during productive years, dependency, frailty, dementia, depression, cerebrovascular disease and diabetes were all associated with higher risk of death.CONCLUSIONS Given the challenge for developing countries presented by demographic and epidemiologic transition; the high prevalence in older adults of frailty syndrome, dependency and chronic non-communicable diseases; and the association of all these with higher mortality, attention should be targeted to older adults as a risk group. This should include greater social protection, age-appropriate health services, and modifi cation and control of cardiovascular risk factors.

INTRODUCTION:Cerebrovascular disease (CVD) is the third cause of death and second cause of disability and dementia in adults aged ≥65 years worldwide. The few epidemiological studies of stroke in Latin America generally report lower prevalence and different patterns than developed countries. OBJECTIVE:Estimate the prevalence of stroke and associated risk factors in adults aged ≥65 years in Havana City and Matanzas provinces, Cuba. METHODS:Single phase, cross-sectional, door-to-door study of 3015 adults aged ≥65 years in selected municipalities of Havana City and Matanzas provinces. Variables studied were age, sex, educational level, and self-report and description of chronic disease (stroke, heart attack, angina, and diabetes mellitus), substance use (alcohol, tobacco), and dietary habits. Respondents were given a structured physical and neurological exam, and blood pressure was measured. Laboratory tests comprised complete blood count, fasting glucose, total cholesterol and fractions, triglycerides, and apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype. Diagnosis of stroke was based on the World Health Organization's defi nition. Stroke prevalence ratios (crude and adjusted), with 95% confi dence intervals (CI), were calculated for the variables studied using a Poisson regression model. Risk association was analyzed using multiple logistic regression for dichotomous responses. RESULTS:Assessments were made of 2944 older adults (97.6% response rate). Prevalence of stroke was 7.8% (95% CI 6.9-8.8), and was higher in men. The risk profi le for this population group included history of hypertension (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.0-4.0), low HDL cholesterol (OR 2.6; 95% CI 1.7-3.9), male sex (OR 1.7; 95% CI 1.2-2.5), anemia (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.1-2.5), history of ischemic heart disease (OR 1.5; 95% CI 1.0-2.3), carrier of one or two apolipoprotein E4 genotype (APOE ε4) alleles (OR 1.4; 95% CI 1.0-2.0), and advanced age (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.1-1.9). CONCLUSIONS:Stroke prevalence in this study is similar to that reported for Europe and North America, and higher than that observed in other Latin American countries. The risk profi le identifi ed includes classic risk factors plus anemia and APOE ε4 genotype.

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Introducción. La Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) define ‘droga’ como cualquier sustancia natural o sintética que, al ser introducida en el organismo, es capaz de producir efectos en el sistema nervioso central, relacionados con la modificación del funcionamiento, así como con cambios en la actividad psíquica y emocional del ser vivo. Las drogas lícitas o legales son aquellas legalmente disponibles mediante prescripción médica o cuya comercialización es permitida; y las drogas ilícitas o ilegales son aquellas cuya producción, porte, transporte y comercialización están legalmente prohibidos o que son usadas sin la prescripción exigida. Objetivo. Identificar las tendencias en los resultados de investigaciones publicadas, relacionadas con el consumo de sustancias psicoactivas legales e ilegales, sus factores de protección y los de riesgo. Método. El artículo se origina de una revisión documental con búsqueda, análisis y síntesis de fuentes secundarias, de los datos de 51 artículos producto de investigaciones que dieran respuesta a las siguientes preguntas: ¿qué se sabe sobre las sustancias psicoactivas legales e ilegales? y ¿cuáles son los factores de protección y de riesgo, asociados al consumo de sustancias psicoactivas? Las bases consultadas fueron: Lilacs, IBECS, Medline, Biblioteca Cochrane PAHO, WHOLIS y SciELO. Conclusiones. El uso de sustancias psicoactivas es un fenómeno que cambia constantemente debido a la aparición de nuevas sustancias de consumo y, según el contexto, cada individuo se expone a riesgos prevenibles que pueden ser controlados. Palabras clave: consumo, sustancias psicoactivas, drogas legales e ilegales, factores de protección y de riesgo.