Assessment of the Frequency of Dementia Determinants Among Women Presenting at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Lahore

Abstract

Background: Dementia is a growing global health concern with a significant burden on aging populations, particularly among women in low- and middle-income countries. There is limited regional data on the determinants of dementia in South Asian female populations, hindering the development of targeted prevention and management strategies. Objective: This study aimed to assess the frequency of key determinants of dementia—such as advanced age, head trauma, family history, diabetes, and sleep disturbance—and their associations with sociodemographic factors among women presenting to a tertiary care hospital in Lahore. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at Shaikha Fatima Institute of Nursing and Health Sciences, Lahore, from May to December 2022. Women aged ≥50 years attending outpatient clinics were recruited using convenience sampling (n = 250). Inclusion criteria required the ability to provide informed consent and absence of acute illness or major psychiatric disorder. Data were collected via a structured proforma and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Key variables included demographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27.0; descriptive statistics, frequencies, and chi-square tests were applied, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Among 250 participants, 89.2% were aged ≥65 years, 76.0% had a history of head trauma, 54.4% reported a family history of dementia, and 50.0% had diabetes. Sleep disturbance was present in 25.6% of women. Significant associations were observed between marital status and both sleep disturbance (p = 0.003) and involvement in family-level decisions (p < 0.001). Smoking (4.4%) and alcohol use (2.4%) were uncommon. Conclusion: Advanced age, head trauma, family history, and diabetes emerged as the most common determinants of dementia in this cohort. These findings highlight the need for targeted screening and preventive interventions tailored to women in similar clinical settings, with implications for clinical practice and policy development in dementia care.