Version: 1.0.0 | Published: 24 Sep 2026 | Updated: 0 days ago
Documentation
Description:
Description of population: The 10/66 Dementia Research Program is a large-scale, population-based study focused on individuals aged 65 and older living in 11 geographically defined urban and rural areas across eight low- and middle-income countries. The program was developed to investigate dementia prevalence, incidence, and impact in Latin America, China, and India using a standardized, validated methodology. Initially designed by the Dementia Research Group 10/66 (DRG 10/66), the program has evolved into a comprehensive cohort study, expanding its focus beyond dementia to encompass a wide range of health and social factors associated with aging.
The study now includes an in-depth examination of common chronic diseases, disability, healthcare utilization, and the social aspects of aging, such as socioeconomic status, social protection, and care needs. As part of the study protocols, participants also underwent a full neurological assessment and physical exams, conducted by field examiners and interviewers who received standardized training to ensure consistency across all sites.
Between 2017 and 2019, the DRG 10/66 completed the "Life to Years" (Life2Years) study, which included a third follow-up of participants from the original cohort, along with the inclusion of new participants aged 65 and above. The data being contributed to ADDI (Alzheimer’s Disease Data Initiative) comes specifically from five Latin American countries in the 10/66 cohort: Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Peru, and Mexico.
Urban sites were chosen to represent mixed or lower socioeconomic households, with high-income or professional districts deliberately excluded. These urban areas included Havana and Matanzas (Cuba), Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), Bayamón (Puerto Rico), Lima (Peru), and Mexico City (Mexico). Rural sites were located in more remote areas with low population density and economies centered around agriculture. These included Canete Province (Peru) and Morelos State (Mexico).
The cohort comprised 6,917 elderly participants across 5 sites in five Latin American countries and territories. The age range of participants varied from an average of 76.3 years in Mexico to 80.3 years in Puerto Rico. The proportion of female participants was high, ranging from 60% in Mexico (rural) to 64% in Cuba. Educational attainment varied significantly between sites, with the percentage of participants who did not complete primary education being highest in Mexico (rural, 60.1%) and lowest in Cuba (15.1%). Socioeconomic indicators revealed disparities, with food insecurity being highest in Mexico (13.6%) and lowest in Puerto Rico (1.7%). The average dementia rate, using the 10/66 dementia criteria, was 17.3%.
Type of data: Demographics, lifestyle risk factors, non-communicable disease, clinical and cognitive interview, physical exams, MCI and dementia diagnosis. Participant and Informant questionnaires (including measures of caregiver burden).
Link to cohort paper:
https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/46/2/406/2617175
Link to 10/66 protocols paper:
https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2458-7-165
Relevant papers:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(08)61002-8/fulltext
https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(12)60399-7/fulltext
Coverage
Spatial:
US
Follow Up:
Unknown
Provenance
Temporal
Accrual Periodicity:
Static
Start Date:
01 January 2026
Time Lag:
Not applicable
Accessibility
Access
Access Rights:
See dataset for details. Access data at:
Usage
Resource Creators:
Isaac Acosta
Observations
Statistical Population
Population Description
Population Size
Measured Property
Observation Date
Persons
6917
Count
01 January 2026