Forgetfulness is not considered any disease among youth in India, says study

A recent survey by Fortis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital, Vasant Kunj (FHVK) in order to calculate the understanding of Alzheimer’s and Dementia, it has been found that youth of India doesn’t consider forgetfulness as a disease.

As per World Alzheimer report 2015, The Global Impact, more than 46 million people are patients of dementia, and by 2050, the number will have an increase to 13.15 million. Within a period of just three years, the global cost of dementia will be US $ 1 trillion.

Well, among the top 10 countries, India is at position number 3, with 4.1 million of its population suffering from dementia. And by the year 2050, the dementia patients will live in low and middle clas income groups, hence it is of importance to know its understanding among youth.

The FHVK Survey conducted by Dr Madhuri Behari, Consultant, Neurology at Fortis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital, Vasant Kunj (FHVK), aimed at knowing what youth thinks about Alzheimer’s.

The sample answers were collected from December 2016-January 2017 wherein 2000 people participated within the age group of 15-40yrs and the findings are:-91% youth don`t consider forgetfulness as a disease-85% don`t know about Alzheimer as a disease-82% said no - does diabetes predispose to dementia-72% said no- do you know if alcoholism can predispose to dementia-90 % said no- do you know that repeated stroke can cause memory impairment-97% don`t know the cause of dementia-91% don`t know that dementia is reversible. People were not even sure about the gender and age group of people affected with dementia.

According to Dr Behari- "Every minute someone in India develops dementia and with no known cure on the horizon.

The patients become more dependent on their family members for their survival. The disease starts with minor forgetfulness and then progresses at a stage where the person is not even able to recognize his near and dear ones.

In some people the symptoms are that the people even start forgetting the events of the same day, like what didi they eat in that day or where they had gone.

So these patients may come to a standstill thinking they are what they are. They might think that they are only 40 years old, when their wife is older, and starts treating them as strangers.

It is important for people to continue to do some brain related games and activities for brain.