ObjectiveTo access the prevalence of dementia and associated factors in elderly people in Songjiang District, Shanghai.

MethodsSubjects aged 60 years and over were selected by multi-stage random sampling in this study. Questionnaire was used to collect the information about gender, age, and health status.The AD-8 and MMSE were adopted for screening senile dementia patients.And the result was statistically analyzed.

ResultsAmong 4 050 subjects, 173 were found to have dementia, the detection rate being 4.2%, and increased with ageing (χ²=187.37, P=0.000).The detection rate of dementia in females (4.8%)was higher than that in males(3.4%)(χ²=5.019, P=0.025).And the prevalence of dementia was found to be varied with different educational levels, marriage status, and life-styles.Senile dementia patients with stroke had higher detection rates than those without(χ²=17.461, P=0.000).There were no different detection rates found in dementia between elderly people with chronic disease and those without, except stroke patients(χ²=17.461, P=0.000).Finally, age and stroke were found to be risk factors for dementia by multifactor regression analysis.

ConclusionThe occurrence of senile dementia results from different factors, such as age, gender, marital status, exercise and with or without reading habits.We should take different measures corresponding to different factors.Of all factors, ageing is irreversible process, but we could change the way of life in elderly people to control and prevent senile dementia.