The researchers found that out of 15,770 patients with Covid-19 in the records analyzed, 810 of them also had dementia.
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Bengaluru: Dementia India Alliance (DIA), in collaboration with Athulya Senior Care, conducted a community-based dementia screening across apartment complexes in the city targeting urban, affluent populations.
A total of 716 elderly adults were screened, highlighting emerging cognitive health trends in upper socio-economic groups.
Of the 591 people aged 60 and above, 12.2% were found to have cognitive impairment, corresponding to a Hindi Mental State Examination (HMSE) score of less than or equal to 23. In addition, 29.2% of men and 25% of women had at least one vascular comorbidity, while 30.6% of men and 26.4% of women reported hearing or vision impairments.
Findings point to the urgent need to address risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, and sensory loss — conditions commonly observed among participants. Notably, 56.9% of family members failed to recognise early signs of cognitive decline, reinforcing how stigma and lack of awareness delay timely screening, even in educated households.
A further 72 participants scored between 24 and 26 on the HMSE, placing them in a vulnerable category. Of these, 59.7% were male. They will be followed up with individual and family education to encourage further assessment. Among 79 individuals aged 50 to 59 years, 11.4% had cognitive impairment, 66.7% of whom had at least one vascular or sensory comorbidity, indicating early onset trends.
Identified individuals and those in the vulnerable group will receive further assessment and personalised counselling. “This data reinforces what we see in the field-awareness is still low. We need multi-layered approaches for early assessment and support,” said Dr Radha S Murthy, president of DIA.