Sex and socioeconomic differences in 15-year prevalence trends for modifiable dementia risk factors in Australia: a cross-sectional, time series analysis.

Abstract

Potentially modifiable risk factors could account for approximately 45% of dementia cases globally. For targeted prevention, understanding population-specific patterns of risk is essential. We aimed to track changes in dementia prevalence across Australia, and calculate population attributable fractions of dementia, for 12 risk factors (ie, low education, hypertension, obesity, high cholesterol, smoking, high alcohol intake, poor diet, physical inactivity, hearing loss, depression, diabetes, and social isolation). In this cross-sectional, time series analysis we calculated the prevalence of dementia using five national Australian health surveys from 2007-08 to 2022. Adjusted prevalence ratios and combined population attributable fractions were estimated. Population subgroups were defined by sex and socioeconomic disadvantage (lowest 40% household income vs highest 60%). Results were disaggregated by life-stage (mid-life aged 45-64 years and late life aged 65-84 years). In mid-life, the sample sizes ranged from 4100 in 2022 to 5589 in 2017-18 and in late-life from 2799 in 2011-12 to 3762 in 2017-18. Smoking, high alcohol intake, physical inactivity, hearing loss, and low education in mid-life decreased and obesity, depression, and poor diet increased; resulting in no change in population attributable fraction (47·2% [95% CI 46·5-48·0] in 2007-08 and 46·9% [45·9-47·7] in 2022). High alcohol intake, physical inactivity, and low education in late-life decreased; depression and poor diet increased; and there was no change in population attributable fraction (51·5% [50·9-52·5] in 2007-08 and 51·4% [50·7-52·4] in 2022). In mid-life, modifiable risk was higher among low-income groups and males and depression was the leading modifiable risk factor in 2022, disproportionately affecting low-income households and females. The modifiable population attributable fraction of dementia in Australia in the past 15 years remained stable, but the profile of risk has changed. Low-income groups (compared with high-income groups) have substantially higher modifiable risk and targeted multidomain interventions could help reduce disparities. National Health and Medical Research.