Scientists from the University of Cambridge observed 13,000 people aged 65 and older, and observed the patients for a total of 14 years. Throughout the span of the study, a total of 438 subjects developed dementia, and 356 of them died.
Results of the study also revealed that while the number of survival years averaged at 10.7 years for patients aged 65-69, it came in at a much shorter 3.8 years for those aged 90 or older, as reported by a WebMD article.
Other observations made by scientists included the slight difference in survival length between men and women. Women, the study found, survived slightly longer than men, having about 4.6 years after diagnosis, compared to the 4.1 years for men.
Science Daily reported that the scientists also found that those with higher education had a slightly lower survival length compared to those with lower education. The data, however, was not of considerable difference to actually affect the statistical numbers.
"When we took everything into account, the big predictors of how long people survive remain sex, age, and functional ability," said Carol Brayne, University of Cambridge processor of epidemiology. "Functional ability was a much better marker of how close someone was to death than cognitive decline."
The findings of the study resulted in a recommendation by medical experts of an increased level of attention to be given to patients diagnosed with dementia, taking note of their strengths and retained abilities, as well as the evident dysfunctions and deficits.
The study was published in the January 11 issue of the British Medical Journal.
