SUNDAY 3 FEBRUARY 2019 – UWI TODAY
11
HEALTH ANDWELLNESS
DementiaResearch
Many of us have the experience of an elderly relation
afflictedwith dementia. It takes a powerful toll on the sufferer
and those close to them. We accept it as a consequence of
ageing. But dementia is not natural or normal. It’s an illness,
one that is having an abnormally heavy impact on Trinidad
and Tobago.
Aprevalence study by researchers at UWI’s St Augustine
Campus has revealed that some 23.5% (nearly one in four)
Trinidadians over the age of 70 have dementia. This figure
is almost three times the prevalence in other countries. At
age 85 and older it rises to 47%. The comprehensive study
had over 1,850 active participants chosen randomly from
120 districts in Trinidad.
“Dementia is a major public health concern and is a
global epidemic,” says Dr Nelleen Baboolal, Senior Lecturer
in Psychiatry and Head, Department of Clinical Medical
Sciences at UWI St Augustine’s Faculty of Medical Sciences
(FMS). Dr Baboolal is a member of the research team.
The UWI study, titled “The Prevalence and Economic
Cost of Dementia Project in Trinidad and Tobago”, was
carried out in collaboration with the University’s Health
Economics Unit. The project was co-funded by the UWI-
Trinidad and Tobago Research and Development Impact
(RDI) Fund and the Ministry of Health.
The research team attributes the unusually high
number of dementia sufferers to two main factors – the
country’s ageing population and, more importantly, the
high prevalence of vascular risk factors including diabetes
mellitus, hypertension, high cholesterol and obesity.
“The risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular
diseases such as hypertension are also the risk factors for
dementia,” says Dr Gershwin Davis, Senior Lecturer in
Chemical Pathology, Head of Department of Paraclinical
Sciences (Laboratory Medicine) at FMS and member of
the research team.
Dementia is a neurocognitive disease that affects
memory, thinking, behaviour and the ability to perform
everyday activities. Globally, Alzheimer’s disease is the most
common form of dementia, representing about 65% of the
afflicted. Vascular dementia (problems with blood supply to
the brain) is the second most common cause. Other causes
include conditions such as vitamin B12 deficiency, HIV
and AIDS, Parkinson’s disease, tumors and head trauma
resulting from activities such as boxing.
Covered in UWI Today in 2014
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article11.asp)
The study originated from the work of Dr Baboolal, Dr
Gershwin Davis and Professor Amanda McRae, Professor
of Human Anatomy at FMS (now retired), who have been
collaborating on Alzheimer’s and dementia research since
2003.
It followed the methodology of the 10/66 Dementia
Research Group, a UK-based collective of researchers that
has developed measurement tools for dementia prevalence
that are currently being used in over 20 countries. Professor
Robert Stewart, a foundingmember of the 10/66 Group, was
also a co-author and consultant on the UWI study.
Apart from the prevalence of dementia in Trinidad,
the study also looked at the cost, material and otherwise,
to the society. Dementia has a huge socioeconomic impact.
The diagnosis and treatment for dementia is also extremely
costly.
The prevalence study was completed in 2015 and since
then the team has been analysing the data and sharing their
findings. The results have been published in several widely
recognised international journals such as the
BritishMedical
Journal Open
and the
Oxford Journal of Public Health
. Now
that the results have been verified the next step is using the
study to address the issue.
DrDavis says, “The researchcouldgive impetus toa thrust
as a matter of policy to create a dementia friendly society”.
Fading
Away
Groundbreaking UWI study
reveals nearly 1 in 4 elderly
in Trinidad suffer
from dementia
B Y J O E L H E N R Y
Figure 1: Dementia prevalence (%) by age and gender (with upper 95% CI).
In 2017, the UWI research team met with Health
Minister Terrence Deyalsingh. The main objective of the
meeting was to ask the Minister to request that Cabinet
declare dementia a “chronic disease”. This designation
would open up dementia-related activities to new avenues
of international funding, a major step in creating policy,
advocacy and public awareness, as well as further research.
Dr Baboolal says, “We need more research, more
training of caregivers and more advocacy. Dementia is a
priority in Trinidad and Tobago and we need to develop
a national dementia plan to ensure that health and social
services are adequately structured and funded to provide
high-quality care and support to people throughout the
dementia journey.The policymakers should initiate national
debates regarding the future of long-term care, with all
stakeholders and an informed public. I am hoping that
we can come together and work to improve the quality of
services for persons living with dementia”.
ILLUSTRATION: ATIBA CUDJOE
Dr Gershwin Davis
Dr Nelleen Baboolal
