Prevalence of Dementia among Elderly People Living in Cotonou, an Urban Area of Benin (West Africa)

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The population of Benin is, like those of most developing countries, aging; dementia is therefore a major concern. Our goal was to estimate the prevalence of dementia in an elderly population living in urban Benin. METHODS: In a cross-sectional community-based study, people aged 65 years and above were screened using the Community Screening Interview for Dementia and the Five-Word Test. RESULTS: The prevalence of dementia was 3.7% (95% CI 2.6-4.8) overall. The figure increased with age and was higher among women than men. CONCLUSION: Dementia was slightly more prevalent than previously reported in a rural area of Benin, but the rate was similar to that recorded in other cities in developing countries.