Cognitive disability among older adults in Botswana: prevalence, trends, and sociodemographic determinants from cross-sectional data

This study demonstrates a substantial and consistent increase in the prevalence of self-reported cognitive disability among older adults in Botswana between 2017 and 2022. This sharp rise likely reflects a combination of measurement differences, changing cultural attitudes, real epidemiological shifts associated with an ageing population and rising non-communicable diseases, and possibly the broader impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings underscore the urgent need for enhanced cognitive health interventions, improved data quality, and continued monitoring to address the growing burden of cognitive disability in Botswana's ageing society.