IDENTIFIED RISK FACTORS, SPECIFIC HEALTH PRACTICES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.
Contributors: University of Texas at Austin.
Published: 1987
Number of pages: 137
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: The literature reveals that Alzheimer's disease is the most disabling disease of the elderly, accounting for over 50% of all cases of dementia. This descriptive comparative study describes health practices and possible risk factors that might predispose an individual to Alzheimer's disease. The theoretical framework was built from the current major theories that are proposed as leading to the development of Alzheimer's disease. Research questions were designed to address selected areas of identified risk and the relationship of that risk to the disease.

A questionnaire was developed to assess the health history and practices of the Alzheimer's victim and a surrogate respondent who answered the questions for the Alzheimer's victim and for themselves. A total of 124 subjects participated in this study.

The findings of this study on Alzheimer's disease are varied. There is little to support theories of the parental age factor at the birth of the Alzheimer's victim or the genetic component of the presence of Down's syndrome in the family. There is, however, data to lend support to the factor of incidence of Alzheimer's disease in the family line as a possible predisposing factor to developing Alzheimer's disease. Questions regarding environmental and/or occupational exposure to hazardous materials, the presence of aluminum in medication, high incidence of infectious disease, head injury, and stress generally go unanswered.

No specific ethnic or racial group has surfaced as being prevalent with respect to the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease; females with the disease were more prevalent in this study, but this is in accordance with the statistics of the longevity of females as opposed to males.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-10, Section: B, page: 2926.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, 1987.

School code: 0227.