Causes and Risk Factors of Dementia in UK

This research project aims to identify different causes and risk factors associated with dementia and determine different ways to reduce the risk in UK. The research methodology includes a descriptive approach with qualitative and quantitative techniques. The data analysis includes thematic and statistical methods. The study concludes that risk factors can be changed by changing lifestyle and medical treatment. The most important ways to control the negative impacts of risk factors of dementia are social connection and intellectual activity, physical exercise and diet, mental stimulation, quality sleep, stress management, medical treatment, and avoiding excess consumption of alcohol.

Research Project
TO IDENTIFY DIFFERENT CAUSES AND RISK FACTORS WHICH ARE ASSOCIATED
WITH DEMENTIA AND DETERMINE DIFFERENT WAYS TO REDUCE THE RISK IN UK

Introduction
 There are different risk factors associated with dementia can
increase the risk of developing mental issues for individual in UK.
 Some risk factors can be changed and controlled by life style and
different medical treatments.
 Structure of the research project has included different chapters:
 Introduction
 Literature review
 Research methodology
 Data analysis
 Conclusion and recommedations

Aim and Objectives
 Aim:
 “To identify different causes and risk factors which are associated
with Dementia and determine different ways to reduce the risk in
UK”.
 Objectives:
 To ascertain different causes and risk factors which are associated
with Dementia in UK.
 To critically analyze that weather risk factors of Dementia can be
changes or not.
 To recommend appropriate ways to control the risk factors of
dementia in UK.

Research methodology
 Research philosophy: Positivism
 Research approach: Deductive
 Research design: Descriptive
 Research technique: Qualitative and quantitative
 Data collection: primary and secondary data
collection methods
 Sampling: Random number sampling method
 Data analysis: Thematic and statistical methods

Data analysis : Thematic analysis
Theme 1: Causes of dementia in UK.
Depression Medication side effects Excess use of alcohol Thyroid problems Vitamin deficiencies
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
5
3
4 4 4
1. What are the major causes of dementia in UK?

Theme 2: Risk factors of dementia which can’t be changed
by appropriate lifestyle and medical treatment.
Age
Family History
Down Syndrome
5.4 5.6 5.8 6 6.2 6.4 6.6 6.8 7 7.2
7
6
7
2. What are the major risk factors of dementia w hich can’t be changed by appropriate
lifestyle and medical treatment?

Theme 3: Risk factors of dementia which can be
changed by adopting lifestyle and medical
treatment.
2
3
4
2
3
4
2
3. What are the major risk factors of dementia which can be changed by adopting lifestyle and medical
treatment?
Use of alcohol and smoking
Atherosclerosis.
Blood pressure
Cholesterol
Depression
Diabetes
Obesity

Theme 4: Important way to control the
negative impacts of risks factors of
dementia.
Social connection and
intellectual activity
Physical exercise and diet Mental Stimulation Quality sleep Stress management Medical treatment Avoiding excess consumption
of alcohol
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
3
4
3
2 2
3 3
4. What is the most important way to control the negative impacts of risks factors of dementia?

Statistical Analysis: Chi Square
testing
 Hypothesis 1:
 Null hypothesis: H0 = Risk factors associated with dementia
cannot be managed through lifestyle changes or appropriate
medical treatments.
 Alternative hypothesis: Ha = Risk factors associated with
dementia can be managed through lifestyle changes or
appropriate medical treatments.

Conclusion and recommendations
 Findings of the data analysis have concluded that Depression, Medication side
effects, Excess use of alcohol, Thyroid problems and Vitamin deficiencies are the
major reasons of dementia.
 Risk factors can be changed by changing lifestyle and medical treatment. These
types of risk factors include Use of alcohol and smoking, Atherosclerosis, Blood
pressure, Cholesterol, Depression, Diabetes and Obesity.
 Risk of some factors cannot be reduced by treatment and lifestyle such as Age,
Family History and Down syndrome, etc.
 Different ways to control risk factors of dementia:
 Social connection and intellectual activity
 Physical exercise and diet
 Mental Stimulation
 Quality sleep
 Stress management
 Medical treatment
 Avoiding excess consumption of alcohol

Area of Future Research
 Similar research study on other country such as India, China,
Nepal and United States.
 Causes and risk factors of the other mental and physical health
issues of individuals.
 In-depth study on dementia and its risk factors which can affect
the life of individuals of UK.
 Determining different care which are required for reducing
negative impacts of different risk factors of dementia

References:
 Smith, J.A. ed., 2015. Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research
methods. Sage.
 Wu, Y.T., Fratiglioni, L., Matthews, F.E., Lobo, A., Breteler, M.M., Skoog, I. and
Brayne, C., 2015. Dementia in western Europe: epidemiological evidence and
implications for policy making. The Lancet Neurology.
 Beck, E.R., McIlfatrick, S., Hasson, F. and Leavey, G., 2015. Health care
professionals’ perspectives of advance care planning for people with dementia
living in long-term care settings: A narrative review of the literature. Dementia.
p.147
 McKeown, J., Ryan, T., Ingleton, C. and Clarke, A., 2015. ‘You have to be mindful of
whose story it is’: The challenges of undertaking life story work with people with
dementia and their family carers. Dementia. 14(2). pp.238-256.
 Keller, H. and Slaughter, S., 2015. Training programmes and mealtime assistance
may improve eating performance for elderly long-term care residents with
dementia. Evidence Based Nursing.