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The prevalence of dementia: a quantitative integration of the literature
Jorm AF, Korten AE, Henderson AS.. Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica, 1987-11-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Data from studies of dementia prevalence between 1945 to 1985 were analyzed statistically. Prevalence rates were found to vary as a function of methodological differences between studies. However, despite these differences, the relationship between prevalence and age was found to be consistent across studies, with rates doubling every 5.1 years. Across studies, Alzheimer's disease (AD) was found to be more common in women, with a tendency for multi-infarct dementia (MID) to be more common in men. There were also national differences in the relative prevalence of AD and MID, with MID being more common in Japanese and Russian studies, no difference in Finnish and American studies, and an excess of AD in other Western European countries.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Jorm, A. F., Korten, A. E., & Henderson, A. S. (1987). The prevalence of dementia: a quantitative integration of the literature. Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1987.tb02906.x
Vancouver
Jorm AF, Korten AE, Henderson AS. The prevalence of dementia: a quantitative integration of the literature. Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica. 1987. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0447.1987.tb02906.x. PMID: 3324647.
BibTeX
@article{jorm1987-3324647,
author = {Jorm, A. F. and Korten, A. E. and Henderson, A. S.},
title = {{The prevalence of dementia: a quantitative integration of the literature}},
journal = {Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica},
year = {1987},
doi = {10.1111/j.1600-0447.1987.tb02906.x},
pmid = {3324647},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1987.tb02906.x}
}
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Key findings
- Data from studies of dementia prevalence between 1945 to 1985 were analyzed statistically.
- Prevalence rates were found to vary as a function of methodological differences between studies.
- However, despite these differences, the relationship between prevalence and age was found to be consistent across studies, with rates doubling every 5.1 years.
- Across studies, Alzheimer's disease (AD) was found to be more common in women, with a tendency for multi-infarct dementia (MID) to be more common in men.
- There were also national differences in the relative prevalence of AD and MID, with MID being more common in Japanese and Russian studies, no difference in Finnish and American studies, and an excess of AD in other Western European countries.
Why it matters
Pooling studies of dementia prevalence from 1945 to 1985, this 1987 review found that reported rates differed with each study's methods, but the rise with age was consistent, with rates "doubling every 5.1 years." Alzheimer's disease was more common in women, while multi-infarct (stroke-related) dementia tended to be more common in men, and the balance between the two differed between countries. It describes how common dementia was in those older studies. It does not give current figures, personal risk or causes, and says nothing about treatment or prevention.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 48/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica: journal h-index 239 (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 | 1987 — 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) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 7 / 7 | Cited 1,301 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 31.7 citations a year over 41 year(s) since 1987 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 12.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 4 / 6 | Cited by 61 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 17 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Alexander S. Henderson: h-index 61 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Australian National University: institution h-index 1,088 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter 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 3324647) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 48 / 100 | — |
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