Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36565114›Full record

SynthesisJournal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD2023

Could Country-Level Factors Explain Sex Differences in Dementia Incidence and Prevalence? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Hamidul Huque, Ranmalee Eramudugolla, Benjamin Chidiac, Nicole Ee, Lauren Ehrenfeld, Fiona E Matthews, Ruth Peters, Kaarin J Anstey

Open access · bronzeAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 58 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
58citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
10.3field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

58 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 76 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Elevated temporal tau PET predicts faster cognitive decline in women than men: A meta-analysis.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2026
    Pooled it
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  17. Associations between joint air pollution exposure, mental health, and physical health and dementia incidence in an aging U.S. cohort.The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences · 2026
    Article
  18. The progression of sex differences in brain networks across the lifespan.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026
    Article
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  20. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Hamidul HuqueSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Ranmalee EramudugollaSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Benjamin ChidiacSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Nicole EeSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Lauren EhrenfeldSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Fiona E MatthewsFaculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
Ruth PetersSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Kaarin J AnsteySchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
UNSW Sydney · AUNewcastle University · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDespite rising interest in sex differences in dementia, it is unclear whether sex differences in dementia incidence and prevalence are apparent globally.

objectiveWe examine sex differences in incidence and prevalence of Any dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and vascular dementia (VaD), and evaluate whether country-level indicators of gender inequality account for differences.

methodsSystematic review with meta-analysis was used to obtain estimates of incidence and prevalence of Any dementia, AD, and VaD using random effects meta-analysis, and population-based studies with clinical or validated dementia measures. Meta-regression was used to evaluate how country-specific factors of life expectancy, education, and gender differences in development, unemployment, and inequality indices influenced estimates.

resultsWe identified 205 eligible studies from 8,731 articles, representing 998,187 participants across 43 countries. There were no sex differences in the incidence of Any dementia, AD, or VaD, except in the 90+ age group (women higher). When examined by 5-year age bands, the only sex difference in prevalence of Any dementia was in the 85+ group and there was no sex difference in VaD. AD was more prevalent in women at most ages. Globally, the overall prevalence of dementia in adults 65 + was higher for women (80.22/1000, 95% CI 62.83-97.61) than men (54.86/1000, 95% CI 43.55-66.17). Meta-regression revealed that sex differences in Any dementia prevalence were associated with gender differences in life expectancy and in education.

conclusionGlobally, there are no sex differences in age-specific dementia incidence, but prevalence of AD is higher in women. Country-level factors like life expectancy and gender differences in education may explain variability in sex differences.

Indexed as

Alzheimer DiseaseDementiaDementia, VascularFemaleHumansIncidenceMalePrevalenceSex FactorsAlzheimer’s diseasedementiagender differencesincidenceprevalencesex differences

Identifiers

PMID36565114
PMCPMC9986694
OpenAlexW4312129653

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.