FUTURE HEALTH
COGDRISK
A free online tool to help GPs and patients understand dementia risk profile
RESEARCH GROUP
CogDRisk is a free online tool that takes approximately 20 minutes to complete , and provides the user with a personalised assessment of their dementia risk and a personalised report that they can discuss with their GP .
Up to 40 % of dementia cases could be prevented or delayed by small changes in lifestyle . New research has found that changes in modifiable lifestyle factors like physical activity , obesity in middle age , high blood pressure in middle age , smoking , and poor diet can influence your risk of developing dementia .
Dementia is a group of brain disorders that affect a person ' s memory , thinking and ability to interact socially . Dementia is a major health issue in Australia . It is the second leading cause of death in Australia , and the leading cause of death among women . Dementia has recently overtaken heart disease as the greatest burden of illness , injury and premature death in older Australians , with over 420,000 people estimated to be currently living with dementia .
> CogDrisk uses the latest evidence to help users understand their personalised dementia risk profile .
> According to the World Health Organisation ( WHO ), dementia affects approximately 50 million people globally , though this number is expected to increase rapidly over the next few decades , with approximately 10 million new cases predicted yearly .
> The assessment is available online now and can be accessed at cogdrisk . neura . edu . au
Scientia Professor Kaarin Anstey lead the development of CogDRisk . Professor Anstey is Director of the UNSW Ageing Futures Institute and Senior Principal Research Scientist at Neuroscience Research Australia ( NeuRA ). The UNSW Ageing Futures Institute brings together researchers from diverse disciplines to solve real-world issues through interdisciplinary research , and optimise ageing for individuals and society . NeuRA are a not-for-profit medical research institute dedicated to improving the lives of people living with brain and nervous system disorders .
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