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The need for research on dementia in developing countries
Martin James Prince. Tropical Medicine & International Health, 1997-10-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Dementia is one of the commonest and most disabling late-life mental disorders. Its prevalence and incidence have been assessed in developed countries, and show little geographical variation between countries and regions. Although most older people live in developing countries, little research has been carried out in those settings. There is some evidence that age-specific prevalence rates for dementia in developing countries may be relatively low. More research is needed to allow developing countries to estimate the current extent, type and cost of medical and social service provision, and to make confident predictions of future need. Research in different cultures with different levels of economic and industrial development will also increase the variance of environmental exposure, facilitating the identification of environmental risk factors and gene-environment interactions for dementia. Research methodologies need to be adapted to the different circumstances of developing countries, with implications for sampling, cognitive screening and definitive dementia diagnosis.
Key findings
- Although most older people live in developing countries, little research has been carried out in those settings.
- There is some evidence that age-specific prevalence rates for dementia in developing countries may be relatively low.
- More research is needed to allow developing countries to estimate the current extent, type and cost of medical and social service provision, and to make confident predictions of future need.
- Research in different cultures with different levels of economic and industrial development will also increase the variance of environmental exposure, facilitating the identification of environmental risk factors and gene-environment interactions for dementia.
- Research methodologies need to be adapted to the different circumstances of developing countries, with implications for sampling, cognitive screening and definitive dementia diagnosis.
Why it matters
This paper argues that more dementia research is needed in developing countries, where most older people live but little research has been done, and where age-specific prevalence rates may be relatively low. It does not test a dementia treatment or prevention, so it cannot show how to cure or prevent dementia.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 37/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Tropical Medicine & International Health) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Tropical Medicine & International Health: journal h-index 165 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| 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 | 1997 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 66 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.1 citations a year over 31 year(s) since 1997 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.1× 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 | 0 / 4 | Cited 2 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Martin James Prince: h-index 116 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine: institution h-index 1,106 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 9357490) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 37 / 100 | — |
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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. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Prince, M. J. (1997). The need for research on dementia in developing countries. Tropical Medicine & International Health. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-3156.1997.d01-156.x
Vancouver
Prince MJ. The need for research on dementia in developing countries. Tropical Medicine & International Health. 1997. doi:10.1046/j.1365-3156.1997.d01-156.x. PMID: 9357490.
BibTeX
@article{prince1997-9357490,
author = {Prince, Martin James},
title = {{The need for research on dementia in developing countries}},
journal = {Tropical Medicine \& International Health},
year = {1997},
doi = {10.1046/j.1365-3156.1997.d01-156.x},
pmid = {9357490},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-3156.1997.d01-156.x}
}
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