Factors associated with the increased risk of dementia found in the Torres Strait

Abstract

Objective: To identify the specific risk factors for dementia in the Torres Strait.Methods: This research was conducted as part of a cross-sectional dementia prevalence study conducted in the Torres Strait. Participants underwent a comprehensive health assessment, where data on risk factors were collected, and a Geriatrician assessment, which was used to establish dementia diagnoses. Results: A total of 276 Torres Strait residents aged between 45 and 93 participated in the study. Cerebrovascular disease, chronic kidney disease and older age were the most significant risk factors in this population. Once adjusted for age, cerebrovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, low education and problems with mobility and incontinence were significantly associated with dementia. Conclusions: Reducing dementia risk in the Torres Strait requires multifactorial interventions to address potentially modifiable risk factors with a particular focus on addressing the development of chronic midlife diseases.

Using Health Check Data to Understand Risks for Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Among Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal Peoples in Northern Queensland—A Data Linkage Study

“…Albuminuria is proposed to be a sensitive biomarker of systemic microcirculatory dysfunction, including damage to the microvasculature of the brain ( 23 ). Although our results require support with more data, they concur with an association between chronic kidney disease and dementia among residents of the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area identified elsewhere ( 17 ). In terms of international applicability, in populations where both dementia and kidney disease are prevalent, the impact of kidney health in earlier life may be important.…”

“…A recent cross-sectional study of 276 Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal peoples from this region indicated this population had a threefold risk of dementia compared with other Australians (the Dementia Prevalence Study, 2015–2018) ( 11 ). The same project reported that cerebrovascular disease and chronic kidney disease were associated with dementia risk ( 17 ). Participants in this study were also diagnosed with cognitive impairment not dementia (CIND) (i.e., mild cognitive impairment) if they had cognitive decline beyond age expectations and were functionally intact.…”

Using health check data to investigate cognitive function in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders living with diabetes in the Torres Strait, Australia

“… 4 Among older Indigenous residents of the Torres Strait, vascular risk factors such as diabetes have been identified as potential drivers of the elevated dementia rates. 14 The results of the current study may provide some evidence of the detrimental effect of a vascular risk early in this process. However, this proposition remains far from conclusive given the small effect size in our study and the broader uncertainty about the continuum between diabetes‐associated cognitive decrements and later dementia.…”

“…Recent evidence suggests that vascular risk factors, including diabetes, may be associated with higher rates of dementia among Indigenous Australians living in the Torres Strait. 13 , 14 Understanding more about the cognitive implications of diabetes in these vulnerable populations could therefore improve understanding of the development of diabetes‐related brain disease and assist with targeting preventative health activities.…”

Potentially preventable dementia in a First Nations population in the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area of North Queensland, Australia: A cross sectional analysis using population attributable fractions

“…In this population of approximately 9,000 people, the rate of dementia in those aged 45 years and over was almost three times higher than overall Australian estimates for the same age group. 17 Stroke and chronic kidney disease were associated with an individual's risk of having dementia, 18 while rates of other vascular diseases, such as diabetes, are also historically high in this population. 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 There are currently no published estimates of how much these diseases and their associated risk factors contribute to the burden of dementia for this population or how they will shape the future burden.…”