[Dementia registry: current status in Catalonia]

This article describes the theoretical basis on which to begin and develop a record of dementias, emphasizing particularly the records of dementias of the programme Vida als Anys in Cataluña. Records of dementias give information regarding the number of cases of dementia and also for planning use of resources as required by the population.

A record of dementias obtains, stores, keeps up to date and re-uses information about cases of dementia in a consistent manner. There are two types of records, that dealing with the population and that of the hospital. Records of the population include information from epidemiological studies, both descriptive and analytical, and also data on public health. The hospital records follow and study the natural history of dementias from an aetiological point of view but do not use a population for reference. In Cataluña records of dementias have been done for the populations of Girona, Tarragona and Barcelona and the hospitals of Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, Martorell, Reus, Santa Coloma de Gramanet and Terrassa, as part of the programme Vida al Anys.

In order to make satisfactory plans for care in dementia, it is necessary to create databases which are as unified and as exhaustive as possible. Unified records of dementia help understanding of the course and risk factors of the condition.