Diabetes/Dementia in Sub-Saharian Africa and Nigerian Women in the Eye of Storm.

Journal: Current Alzheimer research

Volume: 19

Issue: 2

Year of Publication: 2022

Affiliated Institutions:  Department of Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Basic & Allied Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria. Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. Department of Chemical Pathology, Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, Nigeria. Department of Internal Medicine, Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, Nigeria.

Abstract summary 

In the next few years, the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is projected to dramatically increase globally, but most of the cases will occur in low-to-middle-income countries. Some of the major risk factors for diabetes accelerate the development of dementia in African-Americans, thus leading to a higher prevalence of dementia than Caucasians. Sub-Saharian Africa women have a disproportionately two-to-eight fold increased prevalence of dementia. In the eye of this storm, Nigeria holds the highest number of diabetics on the African continent, and its prevalence is rising in parallel to obesity, hypertension, and the population's aging. The socio-economic impact of the rising prevalence of DM and dementia will be huge and unsustainable for the healthcare system in Nigeria, as has been recognized in developed economies. Here, we analyze the current situation of women's health in Nigeria and explore future perspectives and directions. The complex interplay of factors involved in diabetes and dementia in Nigerian women include key biological agents (metabolic syndrome, vascular damage, inflammation, oxidative stress, insulin resistance), nutritional habits, lifestyle, and anemia, that worsen with comorbidities. In addition, restricted resources, lack of visibility, and poor management result in a painful chain that increases the risk and burden of disease in Nigerian women from youth to old ages. Heath policies to increase the ratio of mental health professionals per number of patients, mostly in rural areas, foment of proactive primary care centers, and interventions targeting adolescents and adult women and other specific mothers-children pairs are strongly required for a sustainable development goal.

Authors & Co-authors:  Oghagbon Efosa K EK Prieto-Pino José J Dogoh Faeren F Ogiator Monday M Giménez-Llort Lydia L

Study Outcome 

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Statistics
Citations : 
Authors :  5
Identifiers
Doi : 10.2174/1567205018666211116093747
SSN : 1875-5828
Study Population
Women
Mesh Terms
Adolescent
Other Terms
LMIC;Sub-Saharan Africa;dementia;diabetes mellitus;health policies;risk factors;women
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Country of Study
Niger
Publication Country
United Arab Emirates