44 million suffer from dementia, numbers to triple by 2050: Report
19 Feb 2015 10:43 PM GMT
Around 44 million people live with dementia worldwide and the figure is expected to triple and reach 135 million by 2050, according to a new report.
Dementia is “one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people worldwide”, the global report for dementia released by the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) said.
“In 2010, the global cost of care reached an estimated USD 604 billion worldwide, equivalent to one per cent global gross domestic product - meaning if dementia care were a country, it would be the world’s 18th largest economy,” it said, adding the “devastating and prevalent” disease had huge social and financial burdens.
“The research shows that worldwide 44 million people live with dementia - alarmingly this figure is likely to triple by 2050, to 135 million people,” it said.
Experts noted that global understanding of dementia lags behind other diseases and is often mistaken as a normal part of ageing.
“Whilst there continues to be a social stigma surrounding dementia, the level of necessary funding will not be addressed equivalent to the need. In the US, funding for HIV/AIDS research is more than five times the level of that for dementia research despite the fact there are five times as many Americans with Dementia than with HIV,” the report said. The report explores a wide range of dementia-related issues, including the current barriers and challenges.
Dementia is “one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people worldwide”, the global report for dementia released by the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) said.
“In 2010, the global cost of care reached an estimated USD 604 billion worldwide, equivalent to one per cent global gross domestic product - meaning if dementia care were a country, it would be the world’s 18th largest economy,” it said, adding the “devastating and prevalent” disease had huge social and financial burdens.
“The research shows that worldwide 44 million people live with dementia - alarmingly this figure is likely to triple by 2050, to 135 million people,” it said.
Experts noted that global understanding of dementia lags behind other diseases and is often mistaken as a normal part of ageing.
“Whilst there continues to be a social stigma surrounding dementia, the level of necessary funding will not be addressed equivalent to the need. In the US, funding for HIV/AIDS research is more than five times the level of that for dementia research despite the fact there are five times as many Americans with Dementia than with HIV,” the report said. The report explores a wide range of dementia-related issues, including the current barriers and challenges.
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