Contact: Mohammad Shoaib Hamrah
The prevalence of modifiable risk factors for dementia among immigrants and refugees and asylum seekers in Tasmania
Migration appears to be particularly important for cognitive and behaviour function (Abubakar et al., 2018). Migration may influence individuals who are more prone to cognitive decline through different factors and attributes. They have been associated with dementia risk, which include educational level, socioeconomic status, health-related behaviours, cardiovascular diseases, and stress (Yaffe et al., 2013). Immigrants are at high risk of developing chronic diseases affecting different organ systems, including dementia and cognitive disorders (Canevelli & Vanacore, 2020). In the UK, a previous study has confirmed that the prevalence of dementia was higher among African-Caribbean immigrants compared to those that are in their home country and they were younger than the UK-born (Adelman, Blanchard, Rait, Leavey, & Livingston, 2011). Previous studies have confirmed that the prevalence of non-communicable diseases risk factors is higher in all migrants than the host population. However, there are marked differences in immigrants (Gong et al.,2016).
Objectives:
Thus, this project examines the 12 identified modifiable risk factors for dementia which include excessive alcohol consumption, traumatic brain injury, and air pollution, less education, hypertension, hearing impairment, smoking, obesity, depression, physical inactivity, diabetes, and limited social contact among immigrants and refugees and asylum seekers.
