Using statistics to estimate the extent of dementia in the population
Duration: 56 mins 18 secs
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| Description: |
A talk by Professor Fiona Matthews for a lay audience.
Professor Fiona Matthews is interested in using cutting edge statistical methods to investigate ageing, healthy life expectancy and autism using population based epidemiological studies. Fiona is the Principal Statistician on the Cognitive Function and Ageing Studies (CFAS). The Cognitive Function and Ageing Studies are two large longitudinal epidemiological studies of the UK older population undertaken 20 years apart, with a focus on brain health. Individuals have been assessed at the interviews for the presence of the dementia syndrome. Both studies compose of a baseline wave and a longitudinal follow-up wave which enables us to investigate not only the total number of people with dementia, but also the number of new dementia cases (incidence) occurring in the population and to see whether this has decreased or increased over the last 20 years. There are statistical challenges associated with studying the ageing population to ensure that estimates from studies are valid and do actually reflect the amount of dementia in the population, not just that seen in the study participants. Fiona’s seminar will discuss the findings discovered so far, illustrate in an accessible way what statistics can do to help answer complex questions and highlight challenges for both public health, policy planners and dementia researchers moving forward. There is a continued need to attempt to reduce dementia within more deprived communities and this research will enable policymakers to prioritise funding to those most in need. |
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| Created: | 2017-01-12 13:02 |
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| Collection: | Statistics Meets the Public's Health Seminar Series |
| Publisher: | University of Cambridge |
| Copyright: | A.S. Quenault |
| Language: | eng (English) |
| Keywords: | Statistics; Dementia; Public Health; |