Beyond the Diagnosis: Identifying Major Risk Factors for Dementia in a Clinical Setting

Background: Dementia is a serious health issue, and effective management requires an understanding of its risk factors. The purpose of this study was to assess dementia risk factors in patients from Bolan Medical Complex Hospital, Quetta. Methods: From April 2021 to April 2024, a cross-sectional study was carried out with participants aged 18 and older who had been diagnosed with dementia using DSM-5 criteria. Demographic and risk factor-related data were collected through structured interviews, and cognitive status was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Results: The study included 178 patients, selected from a convenience sample. We found that two important independent risk factors for dementia were stroke (p < 0.001) and Wilson’s disease (p < 0.001). Significant correlations were observed between other dementia subtypes and stroke (OR = 0.339, 95% CI: 0.195 - 0.583) and Wilson’s Disease (OR = 0.424, 95% CI: 0.297 - 0.606). After adjusting for confounding factors, no additional variables were significantly associated with the risk of dementia, including age, gender, urbanization, socioeconomic status, diabetes, thyroid status, hypertension, family history, B12 deficiency, cardiovascular diseases, smoking, alcohol use, or physical activity. Conclusion: It has been determined that stroke and Wilson’s disease are significant risk factors for dementia, especially the group of dementias other than Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. According to these results, reducing the risk of dementia may benefit from focused screening and intervention for those with a history of stroke and Wilson’s disease. Additional longitudinal research is required to validate these correlations and investigate other risk factors.