Introduction: Dementia, an increasingly critical public health concern in low and middle-income countries, is associated with lower socioeconomic status, early cognitive impairment, and elevated dementia-related mortality risk. This study seeks to estimate the prevalence of cognitive impairment, investigate its links with social indicators, and visualize social gradients across different regions in Colombia.
Methods: Secondary data analysis from the SABE 2015 survey, multinomial regression analyses, and equiplot graphs.
Results: A sample of 23,694 individuals 60 years or older from Colombia. Higher risks were observed among individuals with dark skin color (OR 1.27; 95%CI: 1.10 - 1.47), lower educational levels (OR 3.01; 95%CI:2.04 - 4.42) and reading illiteracy (OR 2.14; 95%CI: 1.87 - 2.46). Inequity patterns were identified by region of residence and income.
Discussion: This study underscores the need for targeted interventions aimed at reducing health inequities. The results highlight the higher prevalence rates of cognitive impairment among socially disadvantaged individuals.
Keywords: Cognitive impairment; Dementia; Health inequity; Health social determinants.
© 2024. The Author(s).