Authors
Shifu Xiao
Matthew Lewis
David Mellor
Marita Patricia McCabe, Australian Catholic UniversityFollow
Linda Byrne
Tao Wang
Jinghua Wang
Minjue Zhu
Yan Cheng
Cece Yang
Shuhui Dong
Publication Date
2016
Publication Details
Xiao, S., Lewis, M., Mellor, D., McCabe, M. P, Byrne, L., Wang, T., Wang, J., Zhu, M., Cheng, Y., Yang, C. & Dong, S. (2016). The China longitudinal ageing study: Overview of the demographic, psychosocial and cognitive data of the Shanghai sample. Journal of Mental Health,25(2), 131-136. United Kingdom: Taylor and Francis Ltd. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.3109/09638237.2015.1124385
Abstract
Background: China’s ageing population will lead to increased neurodegenerative illness and age-related mental health problems. Aims: The Chinese Longitudinal Ageing Study has been developed to better understand the impact of ageing on cognition and mental health. An overview of the sample, major diagnoses and results of the first wave of data collection is presented. Method: One thousand and sixty-eight elderly Chinese (42.2% male), mean age of 72.8 years (SD = 8.5) completed a comprehensive cognitive, psychosocial and mental health assessment. Results: Mean MMSE score was 24.73 (SD = 6.17). Primary generalised anxiety was detected in 0.4% of the sample. Sub-clinical depression and depressive disorder were diagnosed in 1.7% and 2.4% of the sample, respectively. Most (84.5%) reported subjective memory decline, however 66.5% had no cognitive impairment. Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) was detected in 25%, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in 4.7%, vascular dementia in 2.5%, and mixed dementia in 1.3%. Cognition was worse in those 85+ years, but affective disorder rates were not. Conclusion: Higher rates of dementia were detected than previously reported in China. Normative data is presented for common cognitive and mental health assessment and screening tasks in a Chinese population. This suggests that the true incidence of dementia has been underestimated, and requires further investigation.
School/Institute
Institute for Health and Ageing
Document Type
Journal Article
Access Rights
ERA Access