Dementias in Brazil: increasing burden in the 2000–2016 period. Estimates from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016

Abstract

Introduction: Dementia is a globally relevant health problem, which places a great burden on patients and their families. This study aimed to estimate the burden associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other dementias in Brazil. Methods: In this descriptive study, we investigated the estimates obtained by the Global Burden of Disease study. We described the prevalence of AD and other dementias, years lived with disability (YLDs), age-standardized mortality, years of life lost (YLLs), and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) among individuals aged 60 years or older between 2000 and 2016, with their respective 95% uncertainty intervals (95%UI). Results: During this period, the age-standardized prevalence of AD and other dementias per 100,000 people increased by 7.8%, from 961.7 (95%UI 828.3–1,117.5) to 1,036.9 (95%UI 882.0–1,219.5), with approximately 1.5 million people living with dementia in Brazil. The incidence increased by 4.5%. Similarly, all age-standardized rates had an upward trend (mortality: 3.1%; YLLs: 5.8%; YLDs: 7.9%; and DALYs: 6.3%). Mortality profiles increased with age in both years. Dementias were ranked fourth among the leading causes of death in people aged ≥70 years in 2000, rising to second place in 2016. In 2016, it also represented the second and third leading causes of disability among older women and men, respectively. Conclusion: Population growth and aging have resulted in an increased burden of AD and other dementias in Brazil. Preventive and early diagnostic measures are essential to mitigate the burden associated with these diseases.

Doença de Alzheimer: uma revisão de literatura/ Alzheimer's Disease: A Literature Review

“…No entanto, também é associada à condições evitáveis, tais como doença aterosclerótica, doença cardiovascular, diabetes e dislipidemia. No ano de 2016, os principais fatores de risco no Brasil foram obesidade, hipertensão sistólica e hiperglicemia (MELO et al, 2020).…”

“…Neste sentido, familiares passam a ser cuidadores, informais e sem treinamento. Esse cuidado é sobrecarregado por desafios, como a aceitação do diagnóstico, conflitos familiares e as próprias atividades referentes ao cuidado do paciente, como a administração de medicamentos e suporte financeiro (MELO et al, 2020). O Estudo Longitudinal da Saúde dos Idosos Brasileiros (ELSI-Brasil) descreveu as características socioeconômicas e comportamentais dos idosos com doença de Alzheimer.…”

Incidence of dementia in a Brazilian population: The Tremembé Epidemiologic Study

“…However, our rates were similar to studies that also included participants from rural areas and low education. The increasing burden of dementia in the developing world is a public health issue and early diagnostic measures are essential 39 . Therefore, we encourage future epidemiological studies especially in LMIC with well‐designed follow‐up time and multiple evaluations, avoiding the wide intervals between visits.…”

Burden of dementia in Brazil

“…T he paper by Melo et al 1 is an important contribution to understanding the impact of dementia in Brazil and can help define guidelines for future research and public policies in this area. The authors of this investigation should be commended for their enormous effort in gathering data from the Global Burden of Disease, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, the Brazilian Ministry of Health, and several Brazilian epidemiological studies on dementia.…”

“…In 2000, AD ranked as the third and fourth most common cause of death in women and men aged 70 years or older, respectively, but by 2016, it had become the second most common cause of death for both genders. Moreover, AD was the third main cause of disability in men and women aged 70 years or older in 2000, but by 2016, it had become the second leading cause of disability in men in this age group, while remaining the same for women 1 .…”