A new study from the University of Southern Queensland reveals that Australians residing in rural areas may face a lower risk of developing dementia compared to their urban counterparts.
The research, conducted by PhD student Rezwanul Haque and published in PLOS One, utilised data from the Survey of Disability, Ageing, and Carers (SDAC) to establish a connection between geographic remoteness and dementia risk.
City dwellers were found to be 1.12 times more likely to develop dementia than those in regional areas. The prevalence of dementia in outer regional and remote areas decreased by 21 percent from 2015 to 2018, while major cities experienced an 11 percent increase during the same period.
Environmental factors were suggested as potential contributors, with chronic noise exposure, air pollution, and limited green space identified as risk factors more prevalent in metropolitan areas.
Despite the decline in regional dementia rates, the study emphasises the growing challenge of dementia among older Australians, affecting one in 20 individuals aged over 65.
PhD student Rezwanul Haque highlighted the absence of a cure for dementia and identified factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, undernutrition, depression, and brain injuries as potential contributors to rising dementia rates.
As Australia’s ageing population continues to grow, the study underscores the need for additional funding and policy attention to vital services catering to older adults’ mental health and dementia-related challenges.
Co-authors Professor Khorshed Alam, Professor Christine Neville, and Professor Jeff Gow emphasise the importance of proactive policymaking to address the impending rise in dementia cases. The complete study, ’Changes in the prevalence of dementia in Australia and its association with geographic remoteness,’ is available at doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289505
