Dementia prevention strategies in Low and Middle Income Countries: A systematic review

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundAmidst the global efforts to target potentially modifiable dementia risk factors, Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC) have been described as having considerable potential for prevention. Although there is growing interest in the design, testing and implementation of preventive strategies, most of the existing literature focuses on countries with higher income levels. This systematic review aims to 1) describe the approaches that have been tried in LMIC to prevent dementia in adults over 50 years old at high risk 2) explore the key potential mechanisms and contexts associated with a positive outcome.MethodWe conducted our search on appropriate electronic databases for articles published between January 2010 to January 2023. We included all primary research intervention studies meeting a priori criteria. Our primary outcomes were any change in cognition, and/or dementia diagnosis. Two authors are independently reviewing articles and assessing study quality using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). We will narratively synthesise results.ResultIn line with current literature on dementia prevention, and due to both the diversity of populations and the broad range of possible approaches, we expect heterogeneity of studies with mixed results. We also expect multi‐domain interventions to be reported as the most effective.ConclusionThis project will add to current knowledge on how dementia prevention is being approached in the context of LMIC. Findings will allow us to understand which factors make local interventions work and inform the implementation of preventive strategies for people at high risk of dementia.