Dementia a spreading global plague: report
Indicative of medical biological technology advancing beyond the realm of physcological capabilities, no??? Just my opinion.
'The single most significant health and social crisis'
Last Updated: Tuesday, September 21, 2010 7:42 AM ET
The Associated Press
The global cost of dementia will likely exceed $620 billion this year, or one per cent of the world's total economy, a new report says.
In a study issued Tuesday, European researchers estimate that 35 million people have dementia worldwide. They said this figure is likely to almost double every 20 years, to nearly 66 million in 2030 and 115 million in 2050.
In the report, scientists called the spread of dementia an epidemic that is increasing its pace with the greying of the population around the world. As people live longer, particularly in developed countries, they become more susceptible to dementia. After age 65, the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, doubles every five years. At age 85, people have about a 50 per cent chance of developing Alzheimer's.
"If dementia care were a country, it would be the world's 18th-largest economy," the report said. "If it were a company, it would be the world's largest by annual revenue, exceeding Wal-Mart and Exxon Mobil."
The report was based on data collected from countries worldwide, including estimates from developing countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia.
"Alzheimer's disease and other dementias are the single most significant health and social crisis of the 21st century," stated Daisy Acosta, chair of Alzheimer's Disease International, the organization that released the World Alzheimer Report on Tuesday.
Martin Prince, one of the co-authors and a professor at the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London, urged governments to develop better treatment plans. "The care of people with dementia is not just a health issue, it is a massive social issue," he said.
Experts also said more research money is needed to match dementia's impact on the population. They estimated a 15-fold increase in dementia funding would put the ailment on par with heart disease.
There are some treatments for people with early dementia or cognitive problems, but there is no known cure for Alzheimer's.Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2010/09/21/dementia-global-impact.html#ixzz10AeefubJ
'The single most significant health and social crisis'
Last Updated: Tuesday, September 21, 2010 7:42 AM ET
The Associated Press
The global cost of dementia will likely exceed $620 billion this year, or one per cent of the world's total economy, a new report says.
In a study issued Tuesday, European researchers estimate that 35 million people have dementia worldwide. They said this figure is likely to almost double every 20 years, to nearly 66 million in 2030 and 115 million in 2050.
In the report, scientists called the spread of dementia an epidemic that is increasing its pace with the greying of the population around the world. As people live longer, particularly in developed countries, they become more susceptible to dementia. After age 65, the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, doubles every five years. At age 85, people have about a 50 per cent chance of developing Alzheimer's.
"If dementia care were a country, it would be the world's 18th-largest economy," the report said. "If it were a company, it would be the world's largest by annual revenue, exceeding Wal-Mart and Exxon Mobil."
The report was based on data collected from countries worldwide, including estimates from developing countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia.
"Alzheimer's disease and other dementias are the single most significant health and social crisis of the 21st century," stated Daisy Acosta, chair of Alzheimer's Disease International, the organization that released the World Alzheimer Report on Tuesday.
Martin Prince, one of the co-authors and a professor at the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London, urged governments to develop better treatment plans. "The care of people with dementia is not just a health issue, it is a massive social issue," he said.
Experts also said more research money is needed to match dementia's impact on the population. They estimated a 15-fold increase in dementia funding would put the ailment on par with heart disease.
There are some treatments for people with early dementia or cognitive problems, but there is no known cure for Alzheimer's.Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2010/09/21/dementia-global-impact.html#ixzz10AeefubJ
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