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Prevalence of dementia and cognitive impairment in Southeastern Spain: the Ariadna study
Gavrila D, Antúnez C, Tormo MJ, Carles R, García Santos JM, Parrilla G, Fortuna L, Jiménez J et al.. Acta neurologica Scandinavica, 2009-11-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objectives To estimate the prevalence of amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), cognitive impairment, no dementia (CIND) and dementia in a general elderly population and to examine the associated socio-demographic factors. Methods The Ariadna study is a population-based cross-sectional study of cognitive function involving 1074 individuals aged 65-96 years from the Murcia Region of southeastern Spain. Prevalence, adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Results The overall prevalence was 8.7% (95% CI 7.1-10.5) for aMCI, 14.5% (95% CI 12.4-16.8) for CIND and 5.5% (95% CI 4.3-7.1) for dementia. Dementia was associated with age (OR 1.13 95% CI 1.09-1.18 for a 1-year increase in age). Illiterate subjects were more likely to present aMCI (OR 2.59; 95% CI 1.09-6.14) and dementia (OR 4.09; 95% CI 1.28-13.08) than subjects with secondary or higher education. Rural area residents (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.07-4.24) and women (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.06-2.22) were more likely to have CIND. Conclusion The prevalence of dementia was low, despite a high prevalence of aMCI and CIND. Dementia was strongly associated with age and education. CIND was associated with living in a rural area and with female sex, while aMCI was associated with illiteracy.
Key findings
- Results The overall prevalence was 8.7% (95% CI 7.1-10.5) for aMCI, 14.5% (95% CI 12.4-16.8) for CIND and 5.5% (95% CI 4.3-7.1) for dementia.
- Dementia was associated with age (OR 1.13 95% CI 1.09-1.18 for a 1-year increase in age).
- Dementia was strongly associated with age and education.
- CIND was associated with living in a rural area and with female sex, while aMCI was associated with illiteracy.
Why it matters
This cross-sectional study estimated how common dementia and cognitive impairment were in southeastern Spain. It found that dementia was strongly associated with older age and less education, but it does not test any treatment or cure.
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Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Participants1,074
- Effect size8.7%; 14.5%; 5.5%
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 51/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Acta neurologica Scandinavica) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Acta Neurologica Scandinavica: journal h-index 160 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2009 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 1,074 participants |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 76 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 4.0 citations a year over 19 year(s) since 2009 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 3.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 3 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Carmen Navarro: h-index 113 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública: institution h-index 505 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 19832772) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 51 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Gavrila, D., Antúnez, C., Tormo, M. J., Carles, R., García Santos, J. M., Parrilla, G., et al. (2009). Prevalence of dementia and cognitive impairment in Southeastern Spain: the Ariadna study. Acta neurologica Scandinavica. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0404.2009.01283.x
Vancouver
Gavrila D, Antúnez C, Tormo MJ, Carles R, García Santos JM, Parrilla G, et al. Prevalence of dementia and cognitive impairment in Southeastern Spain: the Ariadna study. Acta neurologica Scandinavica. 2009. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0404.2009.01283.x. PMID: 19832772.
BibTeX
@article{gavrila2009-19832772,
author = {Gavrila, D. and Antúnez, C. and Tormo, M. J. and Carles, R. and García Santos, J. M. and Parrilla, G. and Fortuna, L. and Jiménez, J. and others},
title = {{Prevalence of dementia and cognitive impairment in Southeastern Spain: the Ariadna study}},
journal = {Acta neurologica Scandinavica},
year = {2009},
doi = {10.1111/j.1600-0404.2009.01283.x},
pmid = {19832772},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0404.2009.01283.x}
}
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