Trends in prevalence of self-reports of Alzheimer’s disease/dementia among non-institutionalized individuals 45+ in Canada, 1994–2014

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer’s disease/dementia (AD) prevalence is of concern globally and in Canada owing to the rapidly aging population and increase in life expectancy. This study explored: (1) trends in the overall prevalence of self-reported AD/dementia by sex, age groups, educational levels, and geographic areas in Canada from 1994 to 2014, and (2) assessed what the observed trends mean in the context of the aging Canadian population and the health care system. DESIGN AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study used Canadian national survey data. Data for this study were from two Canadian national health surveys (National Population Health Survey and the Canadian Community Health Survey), between 1994 and 2014. After age-sex standardization, trends in the prevalence of self-reported Alzheimer’s disease/dementia were tracked over time. The two cross-sectional surveys used similar diagnostic criteria over the years. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease/dementia increased from 0.14 in 1994 to 0.80 in 2014 representing a 0.66-point increase over the 20 years. Alzheimer’s disease/dementia prevalence increased with age across all years but was more pronounced after age 80. Men 65+ years, those with lower education, and Canadians living in Central Canada had an increased prevalence. CONCLUSIONS: The overall prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease/dementia in the community increased over time. This study highlights the importance of establishing effective community-based prevention strategies that focus on minimizing risk and optimizing protection as well as health system capacity strengthening and preparation for long-term care including increased demand for neurologists’ services, increased associated disability, psychosocial difficulties, rising costs, and caregiver burden.