Alzheimer’s Disease and its Risk Factors: A Case-control Study

Abstract

Objectives: The etiology of Alzheimer’s disease is supposed to involve environmental exposure and genetic vulnerability. The present study aimed to assess the association between Alzheimer’s disease and its risk factors. Methods: We conducted a case-control study of 95 Alzheimer’s disease patients and 98 matched controls. All participants (case and control groups) were examined by mini-mental state examination. This information was collected by a risk factor questionnaire from January to June 2019. Data were analyzed using logistic regression analysis via SPSS-22 software. Results: The findings revealed the effect of risk factors' odds ratios on the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease by logistic regression analysis. Sex (female), chronic disease, loneliness or being single, and family history showed positive associations with AD, whereas daily physical exercise, religious beliefs, high level of social communication, and male sex had negative associations with AD development (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The study highlighted the difficulty of etiology and recommended that the effective interventions for social support of older people, psychological condition, chronic disease, and lifestyle may be promising preventive policies.