Prevalence and influencing factors of dementia in the elderly iranian population: a cross-sectional study

Sep 30, 2026

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The study determines dementia prevalence and associated risk factors among community-dwelling elderly in selected Iranian provinces. A cross-sectional design sampled 58,228 individuals aged 60–75 years in Qazvin and Yazd from October 2022 to March 2024 using multi-stage, stratified random sampling. Diagnoses used validated Persian cognitive and mood instruments including GDS, AMTS, MMSE, FAST and MoCA with standardized cut-offs, and multivariable logistic regression.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

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Pages8

Reading Time20 min

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Abstract

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Introduction

Aging Clinical and Experimental Research (2026) 38:23 [https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-025-03265-4](https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-025-03265-4) RESEARCH Prevalence and influencing factors of dementia in the elderly iranian population: a cross-sectional study Esmat Karimian1 · Afrooz Saffari Fard1 · Mehri Golparvar2 · Hossein Khodaei3 · Masoumeh Salehi4 · Gholamreza Hajati4 · Fatemeh Khamseh4 · Farshad Sharifi5 · Yousef Veisani6 Received: 16 August 2025 / Accepted: 11 November 2025 © The Author(s) 2025 Abstract Background The global rise in dementia prevalence, a major neurocognitive disorder, poses a significant challenge to aging populations. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of dementia and its associated risk factors among communitydwelling elderly in selected provinces of Iran. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2022 to March 2024, enrolling 58,228 individuals aged 60–75 years from two provinces (Qazvin and Yazd) selected via multi-stage, stratified random sampling. A multi-stage diagnostic protocol was employed, using validated Persian versions of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Abbreviated Mental Test Score (AMTS), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Functional Assessment Staging (FAST), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) with standardized cut-offs. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with dementia. Results After exclusions, the final analytical sample was 56,456 participants. The overall prevalence of dementia was 10.1% . Prevalence was significantly higher in women (13.2%) than in men (7.0%). In the adjusted model, female gender (aOR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.92–2.15), older age (70–79 years vs. 60–64 years, aOR: 1.70, 95% CI: 1.59–1.82), widowhood (aOR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.05–2.16), and lower educational attainment (illiterate vs. academic, aOR: 6.55, 95% CI: 5.43–7.91) were significantly associated with higher odds of dementia. Conclusions This large-scale study reveals a substantial burden of dementia in the studied Iranian provinces. The identified risk factors, including female sex, advanced age, widowhood, and low education, highlight vulnerable subgroups and underscore the urgent need for targeted public health strategies focused on early detection, risk reduction, and support systems for the elderly in Iran. Keywords Dementia · Epidemiology · Aging · Risk Factors · Iran · Cognitive Reserve 􀀍 Yousef Veisani [yousefveisani@yahoo.com](yousefveisani@yahoo.com)[ ](yousefveisani@yahoo.com)Esmat Karimian [karimianes15@gmail.com](karimianes15@gmail.com)[ ](karimianes15@gmail.com)Afrooz Saffari Fard[drasaffari@yahoo.com](drasaffari@yahoo.com)[ ](drasaffari@yahoo.com)Mehri Golparvar[m.golparvarr@gmail.com](m.golparvarr@gmail.com)[ ](m.golparvarr@gmail.com)Hossein Khodaei[h.khodaei48@gmail.com](h.khodaei48@gmail.com)[ ](h.khodaei48@gmail.com)Masoumeh Salehi [alzheimer.iran@yahoo.com](alzheimer.iran@yahoo.com)[ ](alzheimer.iran@yahoo.com)Gholamreza Hajati[rhadja47@yahoo.com](rhadja47@yahoo.com)[ ](rhadja47@yahoo.com)Fatemeh Khamseh [fariba.khamseh@gmail.com](fariba.khamseh@gmail.com) Farshad Sharifi [farshad.sharifi@gmail.com](farshad.sharifi@gmail.com) 1 Prevention of Disabilities and Social Integration, State Welfare Organization, Tehran, Iran 2 Prevention of Disabilities and Social Integration, State Welfare Organization, Ghazvin, Iran 3 Prevention of Disabilities and Social Integration, State Welfare Organization, Yazd, Iran 4 Iran Dementia & Alzheimer’s Association (IDAA), Tehran, Iran 5 Elderly Health Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 6 Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, PO Box, Ilam 69311-63545, Iran 1 3 Introduction The World Health Organization classifies individuals over 65 as elderly. Globally, the annual growth rate of the elderly population over 65 years i

FAQs

What was the study’s aim regarding dementia?

The study aimed to determine dementia prevalence and identify associated risk factors among community-dwelling elderly in selected provinces of Iran.

How was dementia assessed in this research?

A multi-stage diagnostic protocol used validated Persian versions of GDS, AMTS, MMSE, FAST, and MoCA with standardized cut-offs.

Which factors were significantly associated with higher odds of dementia?

Female gender, older age (70–79), widowhood, and lower educational attainment (illiterate vs. academic) were significantly associated with higher odds.

Sep 30, 2026

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