Cognitive Status in the Community Dwelling Thai Elderlyt
VORAPUN SENANARONG, M.D., MRCP(UK)*, NIPHON POUNGVARIN, M.D., FRCP (London)*, KANOKRAT SUKHATUNGA, M.Ed., MS. Clio Psychol**,NARAPORN PRAYOONWIWAT, M.D.*, RUNGSAN CHAISEWIKUL, M.D.*, RATTANA PETCHURAI, M.Ed.*, RUNGNIRAND PRADITSUWAN, M.D.***, SUTHIPOL UDOMPUNTHURAK, M.Sc.****, ADUL Y A VIRIY AV EJAKUL, M.D., FRCP (London)*
Affiliation : * Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, ** Department of Psychiatry, *** Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, **** Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Research Development, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand. t This study was supported by Mahidol Research Fund, 1995-1997 fiscal year.
Objective : To survey the prevalence of cognitive impairment m the elderly and to estimate the prevalence of dementia in the community dwelling Thai population. To assess the psychometric property of Thai Mental State Examination (TMSE).
Materials and Methods : We conducted a countrywide survey of 3, 177 Thai elder! y who were 60 years old and over from 1995 to 1997. Medical history and ability to carry out daily activities were taken by trained medical personnel. Thai Mental State Examination (TMSE) was used for cognitive study. Every elderly person involved in this study was examined by either an internist or a neurologist. Blood was taken for haematological and biochemical analysis. SPSS 6.0 was the main statistical analysis of the data.
Results : Three thousand one hundred and seventy seven elderly people were enrolled in this study, thirty eight point eight per cent were male and sixty one point two per cent were female. There was correlation between age, education and TMSE (r=-0.345, r=0.473, p
Keywords : Cognitive Status, Elderly Thai
