Over 100,000 Dominicans may have dementia, health ministry warns

More than 100,000 people in the Dominican Republic may be living with dementia, according to an illustrative estimate in the Ministry of Public Health's latest epidemiological bulletin Source: elcaribedr. The figure is based on a 11.7% prevalence rate among adults aged 65+ in an urban area of Santo Domingo from the 10/66 Dementia Research Group Source: eldiado. However, the ministry cautions that this is not a national estimate and cannot be extrapolated Source: diariolibree.

Global Context

Worldwide, over 57 million people have dementia, with Alzheimer's accounting for 60–70% of cases Source: elcaribedr. Each year, 10 million new cases are diagnosed, and numbers could reach 152 million by 2050 if trends continue Source: diariolibree.

Dominican Data

A national study – the Caribbean American Dementia and Aging Study (CADAS) – is expected to provide the first representative estimates for the country in the coming months, helping to guide public policy Source: eldiado. Subdiagnosis remains a major challenge, as many families mistake symptoms for normal aging Source: elcaribedr.

Prevention

Up to 45% of dementia cases may be preventable or delayed through lifestyle changes such as controlling hypertension, diabetes, and hearing loss, avoiding smoking, and staying physically and socially active Source: eldiado. Mayo Clinic experts note that heart-healthy habits also protect the brain .