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Dementia-free life expectancy (DemFLE) in The Netherlands
R J Perenboom1, H C Boshuizen, M M Breteler
1TNO Prevention and Health, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Social Science & Medicine (1982)
|December 1, 1996
Summary
Dementia-free life expectancy (DemFLE) is calculated for the Netherlands, showing that while absolute years with dementia increase with age, most are spent at home. Women experience a higher burden of dementia than men.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Aging societies face increasing dementia prevalence.
- Understanding dementia's impact on life expectancy is crucial for public health planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To calculate dementia-free life expectancy (DemFLE) in The Netherlands.
- To assess the burden of dementia in an aging population.
Main Methods:
- Sullivan's method was employed to compute DemFLE.
- Prevalence data from the Rotterdam Elderly Study and SIG Nursing home Information System were utilized.
- Only moderate and severe dementia cases (DSM-III-R criteria) were included.
Main Results:
- At 65, DemFLE for men is 14.0 years (96.4% of life expectancy); for women, it's 17.7 years (93.2%).
- At 90, DemFLE for men is 2.5 years (77.5%); for women, it's 2.8 years (74.7%).
- Women have higher DemFLE and more years with dementia, indicating a greater burden, with most dementia years spent at home.
Conclusions:
- The burden of dementia, both absolute and relative, is higher for women.
- The majority of dementia years are spent at home, highlighting the role of informal caregivers.
- Findings are vital for developing support systems for aging populations and caregivers.