Modifiable Dementia Risk Factors in Older Women: Preliminary Findings from a Study in Mar del Plata, Argentina

Pereyra, María de la Paz¹; Arias, Claudia Josefina¹ & Vivas, Leticia¹ ¹ Instituto Psicología Básica Aplicada y Tecnología (IPSIBAT), Universidad Nacional Mar del Plata, Argentina Contact: pazpereyra@mdp.edu.ar

Older women constitute the population group with the highest incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. There is strong evidence supporting the prevention of dementia through the management of modifiable risk factors; however, research in low- and middle-income countries remains limited. The present study aimed to explore the presence of the 14 modifiable risk factors proposed by the Lancet Commission among older adults in the city of Mar del Plata, using the ANU-ADRI. This work presents preliminary results from a non-probabilistic, intentional sample of 67 women aged over 70 years. The mean age was 82.2 years (SD=6.7). Most participants (58.2%) had not completed secondary education, and 9% of these had not completed primary education either. Hearing loss was reported by 43.3% of women and visual impairment by 83.6%. In terms of health conditions, 49.3% had been diagnosed with hypertension, 14.9% with diabetes and 47.8% with hypercholesterolemia, while only 17.9% were obese. A history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) was reported by 7.5% of participants. In terms of lifestyle habits, 17.9% engaged in vigorous physical activity, 70.1% engaged in moderate activity and 11.9% reported physical inactivity. None of the participants reported current tobacco use, although 20.9% reported having smoked at some point in the past. Regarding alcohol consumption, 53.7% reported never consuming alcohol, 41.8% reported occasional consumption and 4.5% reported high consumption. In terms of social contact, 50.7% reported high levels, 25.4% reported moderate levels and 23.9% reported low levels. In terms of emotional well-being, 37.3% of women reported feeling depressed occasionally during the previous two weeks, while 11.9% reported feeling depressed most of the time. The most prevalent risk factors among older women were low educational attainment, hearing loss and visual impairment, and diagnoses of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. Additionally, a considerable proportion of participants reported lack of physical activity, frequent depressive symptoms, and low levels of social contact. These findings highlight key areas for intervention aimed at promoting healthier lifestyles and reducing dementia risk among older women.

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