Deaths caused by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias fall by 5%

6,046 deaths were caused by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in Scotland in 2021, a decrease of 5% (306 deaths) on 2020, according to new figures from National Records of Scotland.

Two thirds of those who died due to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias were females; - there were 4,060 (67%) female deaths and 1,986 (33%) male deaths.

Julie Ramsay, Vital Events Statistician, 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).”

Deaths caused by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias were 1.3 times as likely to occur in the most deprived areas of Scotland compared to the least deprived areas. 

Deprivation has less impact on deaths from Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias than on deaths from all causes. Other causes of death are 1.9 more likely to occur in the most deprived areas of Scotland compared to the least deprived areas.

After adjusting for age, the mortality rate for deaths caused by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias was highest in the Lanarkshire, Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and Forth Valley NHS board areas.

Where Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are mentioned on the death certificate, but are not necessarily the underlying cause, there was 10,626 deaths in 2021, with a rate of mortality of 204 per 100,000 people (an increase of 53% in since 2000). In 2020, deaths in this category peaked at 241 deaths per 100,000.  This is most likely due the effect of deaths caused by COVID-19 during this year.

Background

National Records of Scotland (NRS) is a non-ministerial department of the devolved Scottish Administration. It is responsible for producing statistics on Scotland’s population.

The publication Alzheimer’s and other dementia deaths, 2021 is available on our website.

Information is broken down by age-group, sex, cause of death, location of death, Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintile, NHS Board and Local Authority area.

Media enquiries should be directed to:
Donna Green
NRS communications
Tel: 07775-027-380
Email: [email protected]

Further information about the statistics is available from:
NRS Customer Services
Email: [email protected]