Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
World Alzheimer’s Day Greeted
with Bad News: 35 Million with Dementia in 2010, 65 Million by 2030
Dementia projected to double
every 20 years by 2009 World Alzheimer’s Report
Sept.
21, 2009 – World Alzheimer’s Day was greeted with bad news this morning
- more than 35 million people worldwide will have dementia next year,
according to the new 2009 World Alzheimer Report by Alzheimer’s Disease International.
There are already about 5.3 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s
disease, the most common cause of dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s
Association.
The new dementia projection is a
10 percent increase over previous global dementia prevalence reported in
an ADI study published in 2005 in The Lancet.
And, what is even more dramatic,
the report projects, dementia prevalence will nearly double every 20
years, to 65.7 million in 2030 and 115.4 million in 2050.
According to the researchers,
the increases in global dementia prevalence were driven primarily by new
data from low and middle income countries. Estimates for three regions
are higher – Western Europe, South Asia and Latin America than the 2005
estimates. The estimate for East Asia is lower.
The estimate for North America,
while slightly higher, is effectively identical.
“The information in the 2009
World Alzheimer’s Report makes it clear that the crisis of dementia and
Alzheimer’s disease cannot be ignored,” said Marc Wortmann, ADI’s
Executive Director.
“Unchecked, dementia and
Alzheimer’s will impose enormous burdens on individuals, families,
health care infrastructures, and the worldwide economy.”
“There is hope in taking action
and raising awareness of dementia and Alzheimer’s, to improve and fund
dementia care and services and to increase investment in research,”
Wortmann said.
“For example, Australia, France,
Korea and the UK have developed and are implementing national
Alzheimer’s and dementia action plans, and several more are currently in
development.”
ADI is a London-based,
nonprofit, international federation of 71 national Alzheimer
organizations, including the Alzheimer’s Association in the U.S.
“The number of people affected
by Alzheimer’s is growing at a rapid rate, and the increasing personal
costs will have significant impact on the world’s economies and health
care systems. We must make the fight against Alzheimer’s a priority here
in the United States and worldwide,” said Harry Johns, President and CEO
of the Alzheimer’s Association.
In addition to new prevalence
estimates, the report outlines challenges faced by governments and
health care systems worldwide to meet the needs of the growing numbers
of people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia, their families and
caregivers. The research team offers eight global recommendations based
on report findings.
About Dementia and
Alzheimer’s Disease
Dementia is a syndrome due to
brain disease. It is usually chronic, and is characterized by a
progressive, global deterioration in intellectual abilities, including
memory, learning, orientation, language, comprehension, and judgment.
Alzheimer’s disease, in particular, is progressive and fatal.
Dementia mainly affects older
people, especially those over age 65. After this age, dementia
prevalence doubles every five years. Dementia is one of the major causes
of disability in late-life and is linked to a large number of underlying
brain diseases.
Alzheimer’s is the most common
form of dementia; the next most common are vascular dementia, dementia
with Lewy bodies, and frontotemporal dementia.
|
World Alzheimer's Day -
Every September 21
Diagnosing Dementia: See It
Sooner
The theme for World Alzheimer's
Day 2009 is 'Diagnosing Dementia: See It Sooner'. Materials and
activities will focus on the importance of getting a diagnosis and
encouraging medical professionals to recognise the signs of the disease
in order for people to receive the treatment they need.
Every year on 21 September
Alzheimer associations across the globe unite to recognise World
Alzheimer's Day in many ways and 2009 is no exception with memory walks,
open days, lectures, training courses, entertainment and conferences
taking place internationally.
Read about planned events for World Alzheimer's Day 2009 around the
world.
We are grateful to the MetLife
Foundation for supporting World Alzheimer's Day 2009. We believe the
large numbers of people involved and the media coverage these events
will gain will make a real difference for people with dementia, their
families and carers worldwide.
ADI, supported by our member
associations around the world, launched the new Global Alzheimer's
Disease Charter on World Alzheimer's Day in 2008. You can read the
Charter and sign the petition to support it at
www.globalcharter.org.
Follow the links below for more
information on World Alzheimer's Day
●
Events taking place for World Alzheimer's Day 2009
●
Report on World Alzheimer's Day 2008
●
Frequently asked questions
●
Previous World Alzheimer's Day campaigns
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Prevalence Increases Driven
By Low and Middle Income Countries
According to the 2009 World
Alzheimer’s Report, much of the increase in dementia prevalence is
clearly attributable to increases in the numbers of people with dementia
in low and middle income countries. The researchers found that 57.7% of
all people with dementia worldwide in 2010 live in low and middle income
countries, rising to 70.5% by 2050. (See chart at bottom of this page.)
In addition, proportionate
increases over the next 20 years in the number of people with dementia
will be much steeper in low and middle compared with high income
countries. The report forecasts a 40% increase in numbers in Europe, 63%
in North America, 77% in the southern Latin American cone and 89% in the
developed Asia Pacific countries. These figures are to be compared with
117% growth in East Asia, 107% in South Asia, 134-146% in the rest of
Latin America, and 125% in North Africa and the Middle East.
How This Report Was Prepared
Methodology used to prepare the
2009 World Alzheimer’s Report is explained in the full printed report
and can be found online at
http://www.alz.co.uk/worldreport
“This is a new systematic review
of the global prevalence of dementia, based on 147 studies in 21 World
Burden of Disease world regions,” said Professor Martin Prince, MD, MSc,
MRCPsych, Professor of Epidemiological Psychiatry at the Institute of
Psychiatry in London, lead investigator for the report. “It is the most
comprehensive global prevalence study of dementia to date.”
The Emotional and Financial
Impact of Dementia
Chapter 2 of the new report
focuses on the impact of dementia. Dementia has physical, psychological
and economic impact not only on the person with the disease, but also
caregiver(s), the person’s family and friends, healthcare system(s), and
society.
Caregivers of people with dementia are very likely to
experience strain. Statistics cited in the new report suggest that
40-75% have significant psychological illness as a result of their caregiving, and 15-32% have clinically diagnosable major depression.
There may also be physical health consequences; strained caregivers have
impaired immunity and a higher mortality rate.
Worldwide, the economic cost of
dementia has been estimated as US$315 billion annually. The total annual
costs per person with dementia have been estimated as US$1,521 in a low
income country, rising to US$4,588 in middle income countries, and
US$17,964 in high income countries. (Anders Wimo, et al. “An Estimate of
the Total Worldwide Societal Costs of Dementia in 2005.” Alzheimer’s &
Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association. Volume 3, Issue 2,
April 2007.)
World Alzheimer’s Day
September 21 is World
Alzheimer’s Day, when Alzheimer organizations worldwide work together to
raise awareness of the disease. The theme for World Alzheimer's Day 2009
is “Diagnosing Dementia: See It Sooner.”
For more information about World
Alzheimer’s Day activities worldwide, visit
http://www.alz.co.uk/adi/wad/.
Alzheimer’s Disease
International
Alzheimer's Disease
International (ADI) is an international federation of 71 Alzheimer
associations around the world, in official relations with the World
Health Organization. Each member is the national Alzheimer association
in their country that supports people with dementia and their families.
ADI's mission is to improve the quality of life of people with dementia
and their families throughout the world. Visit
http://www.alz.co.uk/adi/.
Recommendations - 2009 World
Alzheimer Report
The Report contains eight
recommendations for the World Health Organization and national
governments. The research shows that the number of people with
Alzheimer’s and other dementias is rising substantially worldwide and
that the impact on families, governments, and national health care
systems will be immense. The Report also highlights that it is possible
for governments to respond constructively to the challenge. These
recommendations provide a global framework for action on Alzheimer’s
disease and other dementias.
1. The World Health
Organization (WHO) should declare dementia a world health priority.
2. National governments
should declare dementia a health priority and develop national
strategies to provide services and support for people with dementia and
their families.
3. Low and medium income
countries should create dementia strategies based first on enhancing
primary healthcare and other community services.
4. High income countries
should develop national dementia action plans with designated resource
allocations.
5. Develop services that
reflect the progressive nature of dementia.
6. Distribute services with
the core principle of maximizing coverage and ensuring equity of access,
to benefit people with dementia regardless of age, gender, wealth,
disability, and rural or urban residence.
7. Create collaboration
between governments, people with dementia, their carers and their
Alzheimer associations, and other relevant Non-Governmental
Organizations and professional healthcare bodies.
8. More research needs to be
funded and conducted into the causes of Alzheimer’s disease and other
dementias, pharmacological and psychosocial treatments, the prevalence
and impact of dementia, and the prevention of dementia.
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Dementia Projections
Total population over 60, crude estimated prevalence of dementia
(2010), estimated number of people with dementia (2010, 2030 and
2050) and proportionate increases (2010-2030 and 2010-2050) by
GBD world region – Source: World Alzheimer’s Report 2009,
Alzheimer’s Disease International |
|
GBD Region |
Over 60
population
(millions) |
Crude
estimated
prevalence (% |
Number people with dementia (millions) |
Proportionate increases (%) |
|
|
2010 |
2010 |
2010 |
2030 |
2050 |
2010-2030 |
2010-2050 |
|
ASIA |
406.55 |
3.9 |
15.94 |
33.04 |
60.92 |
107 |
282 |
|
Australasia |
4.82 |
6.4 |
0.31 |
0.53 |
0.79 |
71 |
157 |
|
Asia Pacific |
46.63 |
6.1 |
2.83 |
5.36 |
7.03 |
89 |
148 |
|
Oceania |
0.49 |
4.0 |
0.02 |
0.04 |
0.10 |
100 |
400 |
|
Asia, Central |
7.16 |
4.6 |
0.33 |
0.56 |
1.19 |
70 |
261 |
|
Asia, East |
171.61 |
3.2 |
5.49 |
11.93 |
22.54 |
117 |
311 |
|
Asia, South |
124.61 |
3.6 |
4.48 |
9.31 |
18.12 |
108 |
304 |
|
Asia, Southeast |
51.22 |
4.8 |
2.48 |
5.30 |
11.13 |
114 |
349 |
|
EUROPE |
160.18 |
6.2 |
9.95 |
13.95 |
18.65 |
40 |
87 |
|
Europe, Western |
97.27 |
7.2 |
6.98 |
10.03 |
13.44 |
44 |
93 |
|
Europe, Central |
23.61 |
4.7 |
1.10 |
1.57 |
2.10 |
43 |
91 |
|
Europe, East |
39.30 |
4.8 |
1.87 |
2.36 |
3.10 |
26 |
66 |
|
THE AMERICAS |
120.74 |
6.5 |
7.82 |
14.78 |
27.08 |
89 |
246 |
|
North America |
63.67 |
6.9 |
4.38 |
7.13 |
11.01 |
63 |
151 |
|
Caribbean |
5.06 |
6.5 |
0.33 |
0.62 |
1.04 |
88 |
215 |
|
Latin America, Andean |
4.51 |
5.6 |
0.25 |
0.59 |
1.29 |
136 |
416 |
|
Latin America, Central |
19.54 |
6.1 |
1.19 |
2.79 |
6.37 |
134 |
435 |
|
Latin America, Southern |
8.74 |
7.0 |
0.61 |
1.08 |
1.83 |
77 |
200 |
|
Latin America, Tropical |
19.23 |
5.5 |
1.05 |
2.58 |
5.54 |
146 |
428 |
|
AFRICA |
71.07 |
2.6 |
1.86 |
3.92 |
8.74 |
111 |
370 |
|
North Africa / Middle East |
31.11 |
3.7 |
1.15 |
2.59 |
6.19 |
125 |
438 |
|
Sub-Saharan Africa, Central |
3.93 |
1.8 |
0.07 |
0.12 |
0.24 |
71 |
243 |
|
Sub-Saharan Africa, East |
16.03 |
2.3 |
0.36 |
0.69 |
1.38 |
92 |
283 |
|
Sub-Saharan Africa, Southern |
4.66 |
2.1 |
0.10 |
0.17 |
0.20 |
70 |
100 |
|
Sub-Saharan Africa, West |
15.33 |
1.2 |
0.18 |
0.35 |
0.72 |
94 |
300 |
|
WORLD |
758.54 |
4.7 |
35.56 |
65.69 |
115.38 |
85 |
225 |
>>
For the Report Summary in PDF
