Prevalence of Cognitive Disorders and Depression in the Adjara Region, Georgia, Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: In 2010, 35.6 million individuals worldwide were diagnosed with dementia, and about two-thirds live in low- and middle-income countries. It caused 1.7 million deaths in 2013, compared with 0.8 million in 1990. The incidence of dementia has increased dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic. Objectives: This study examined how cognitive impairment and depression indicators changed before and after the COVID-19 pandemic in the Adjara region, Georgia. Methods: The research was conducted at Clinic Medcenter in Batumi, Georgia, between 2016-2017 and 2021-2022. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 250 patients (120 men and 130 women) aged 50 to 70 years were evaluated for depression and dementia. During the years 2021- 2022, we additionally examined 200 patients (105 men and 95 women) aged 18 to 80 years at various periods of their recovery from acute SARS- CoV-2 infection: 65 patients after one to three months, 115 patients after three to six months, and 20 patients after six to twelve months of recovery from COVID-19. In addition, we used the Beck Depression Inventory to identify depression and Mini-Mental State Examination (according to NINCDS-ADRDA criteria) to diagnose dementia. Results: In the patients examined during 2016-2017, the rate of depression was 220 (88%) cases out of 250 patients with the following distribution: (i) mild depression in 85 (38.6%) patients; (ii) moderate in 55 (25%) patients and (iii) severe depression in 80 (36.4%) patients. Cognitive disorders in the period mentioned above were detected in 200 (80%) out of 250 patients in mild form in 90 (45%) cases, in moderate form in 70 (35%) cases, and in severe form in 40 (20%) cases. Depression and variable cognitive disorders were found in all 200 patients recovering from acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. Conclusions: According to our research, depression and dementia are much higher after the COVID-19 pandemic than before, requiring effective preventative interventions.