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Dementia and age at death
W F Forbes1, J F Gentleman, E Park
1Statistics Canada, Health Statistics Division, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Experimental Gerontology
|September 1, 1995
Summary
Dementia mortality in Canada increased due to more death certificates listing dementia as the cause. People with dementia are living longer, increasing prevalence and impacting health policy.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Dementia prevalence is increasing globally.
- Accurate mortality data is crucial for public health planning.
- Understanding dementia's role in mortality trends is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate changes in dementia mortality trends in Canada.
- To analyze the recording of dementia on death certificates between 1990-1991.
- To assess the impact of dementia recording on mortality statistics.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Canadian death certificate data from Statistics Canada for 1990-1991.
- Analyzed changes in age at death and dementia mentions on certificates.
- Compared dementia mortality ages with other causes of death.
Main Results:
- Significant changes observed in age at death and dementia mentions on death certificates.
- Increased dementia mortality largely attributed to its listing as an underlying cause.
- Median age at death for dementia cases was comparable to or higher than other causes.
Conclusions:
- The rise in dementia mortality reflects increased reporting and longer lifespans for individuals with dementia.
- Growing dementia prevalence necessitates proactive public health and aging policies.
- These trends have significant implications for future healthcare resource allocation and planning.
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