CANADIAN STUDY OF HEALTH AND AGING

The Canadian Study of Health and Aging includes 18 centres, and all provinces are represented. The objectives of the study are: to estimate the prevalence of dementias, especially Alzheimer's disease; to study risk factors for Alzheimer's disease; to describe patterns of caring and to measure the burden on those who care for people with dementia; and to create a data base for future research. A representative sample of 10,250 Canadians aged 65 or over are recruited, including 9,000 living at home and 1,250 in institutions. Participants are screened for cognitive impairment. Those who are considered to be cognitively impaired (and an equal number who are not) are invited to undergo a clinical examination including a battery of neuropsychological tests. Proxies for the cases and controls complete a risk factor questionnaire, caregivers complete a separate questionnaire. Results of the pilot study are discussed.