Glasgow saw one of the highest mortality rates caused by Alzheimer’s and other dementias in Scotland last year, according to a new report.
Greater Glasgow and Clyde had the second highest number of deaths in 2021 with 140 deaths per 100,000 compared to Lanarkshire which saw the highest mortality rate with 143 per 100,000 deaths.
While the condition is one of the highest causes of death in Scotland, the number of fatalities dropped by 306 to 6046 between 2020 and 2021.
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But the current rate is still more than twice as high as it was in the year 2000 and the number of people living with dementia is sitting at 90,000 with the figure expected to increase according to Alzheimer’s Scotland.
Scotland's dementia charity Alzheimer's Scotland said the rising number of people suffering from the disease, and the fact is was the most common pre-existing condition in Covid-19 deaths made it a 'public health priority'.
And they questioned the sense of putting dementia patients in large group care homes.
The report suggests that while Alzheimer's disease is mentioned on the death certificate, it is not necessarily the underlying cause, resulting in a death not directly because of these conditions but most likely due to the impact of Covid-19.
Jim Pearson, Director for Policy & Practice at Alzheimer Scotland said: “Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia are among the leading causes of death in Scotland, and the most common pre-existing condition in COVID-19-related deaths.
“With over 90,000 people currently living with dementia in Scotland, and the number of people predicted to increase - this a public health priority.
“The fact that so many people living in care homes were so disproportionately affected by COVID-19 must make us question the logic and rationale of this form of care for those most vulnerable people in our society, and never more so than during a pandemic.
"These figures clearly indicate that large group living environments present the greatest risk of virus transmission for people with dementia. We must have care environments which are not built on economies of scale but to support individuals to live well for as long as possible in their own homes or in a smaller group living setting.”
Of the 6046 deaths caused by Alzheimer’s in 2021, 893 took place within a care home, 1197 at a NHS hospital and 904 at home.
Women are also more likely to suffer from these diseases with almost 70% of deaths last year being female. The average age of death for females was 87.7 years and for males it was 85.4 years.
The city of Glasgow had the eighth highest mortality rate overall for the past five years with 532 deaths this year down from 635 in 2017.
Inverclyde, Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire had the highest mortality rate overall.
Julie Ramsay, Vital Events Statistician at NRS, said: “The rate of mortality caused by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias was 117 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021.
“This makes these conditions one of the highest causes of death in Scotland, with a mortality rate similar to ischaemic (coronary) heart disease (126 deaths per 100,000 in 2020).
“While this year’s mortality rate is a statistically significant decrease from 125 deaths per 100,000 in 2020, the current rate of death is more than twice as high as it was in 2000 (56 deaths per 100,000).”
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