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Data for: Dementia incidence across countries: a sex-specific ecological analysis of cancer incidence
Taylor & Francis
05/09/2026
Appears in Recent Faculty of Health Publications
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Abstract
Dementia incidence is rising globally with population aging and improved survival from chronic diseases. Cancer incidence may reflect longevity, diagnostic capacity, socioeconomic development, and demographic transition, but sex-specific population-level evidence on its association with dementia incidence remains limited.
Country-level associations between cancer incidence in 2019 and dementia incidence in 2023 were examined separately for females and males across 204 countries. Analyses included bivariate correlations, principal component analysis, partial correlations, and forced-entry regression models adjusted for gross domestic product per capita adjusted for purchasing power parity, urbanization, reduced selection opportunity, and sex-specific life expectancy at age 60.
Cancer incidence was positively associated with dementia incidence in both sexes. Globally, cancer incidence correlated strongly with dementia incidence among females (r = 0.765, p < 0.001) and males (r = 0.781, p < 0.001). In adjusted models, cancer incidence remained associated with dementia incidence in females (β = 0.496, p < 0.001; adjusted R2 = 0.693) and males (β = 0.526, p < 0.001; adjusted R2 = 0.709). Incremental explained variance was larger among males.
Cancer incidence is a sex-specific country-level correlate of dementia incidence. Findings indicate population-level co-variation, not individual-level risk or causality in aging populations worldwide.
Dementia and cancer are both common conditions in aging populations. Countries with longer life expectancy and stronger health systems often report more cases of both conditions, partly because people live longer and because diseases are more likely to be diagnosed and recorded. This study examined whether countries with higher cancer incidence also had higher dementia incidence, and whether this pattern differed between females and males.
We used country-level data from international health databases and analyzed females and males separately. Across countries, higher cancer incidence was generally associated with higher dementia incidence in both sexes. This pattern remained after accounting for selected country-level factors, including economic development, urbanization, life expectancy at age 60, and reduced selection opportunity. The association appeared slightly stronger among males than females.
These findings should be interpreted carefully. The study used country-level data, so it cannot show whether people with cancer are more likely to develop dementia. It also cannot prove that cancer causes dementia. Instead, cancer incidence may act as a marker of broader population-level changes, such as aging, longer survival, better diagnostic systems, and improved chronic disease reporting.
The findings suggest that countries experiencing increasing cancer detection and survival may also need to prepare for growing demand for dementia diagnosis and long-term cognitive care. Further research using individual-level data is needed to understand whether clinical, behavioral, treatment-related, or biological factors link cancer and dementia risk in individual patients.
This ecological study examined country-level associations between cancer incidence and dementia incidence across 204 countries.
Cancer incidence was positively associated with dementia incidence in both females and males.
The association remained evident after adjustment for selected demographic and socioeconomic indicators.
The explanatory contribution of cancer incidence was slightly stronger in males than females.
Findings should be interpreted as population-level co-variation, not evidence of individual-level risk or causality.
Cancer incidence may provide contextual information for health system planning in aging populations.
This ecological study examined country-level associations between cancer incidence and dementia incidence across 204 countries.
Cancer incidence was positively associated with dementia incidence in both females and males.
The association remained evident after adjustment for selected demographic and socioeconomic indicators.
The explanatory contribution of cancer incidence was slightly stronger in males than females.
Findings should be interpreted as population-level co-variation, not evidence of individual-level risk or causality.
Cancer incidence may provide contextual information for health system planning in aging populations.
Details
- Title
- Data for: Dementia incidence across countries: a sex-specific ecological analysis of cancer incidence
- Creators
- Wenpeng You - The University of AdelaideHui-Chen Chang - Western Sydney UniversityBrendon Coventry - The University of AdelaideAshlyn Sahay - Southern Cross UniversityMaciej Henneberg - The University of Adelaide
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- Identifiers
- 991013402971002368
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Health
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dataset