Dementia in older people admitted to hospital: a regional multi-hospital observational study of prevalence, associations and case recognition.

Background: Previous studies have indicated a prevalence of dementia in older admissions of ∼42% in a single London teaching hospital, and 21% in four Queensland hospitals. However, there is a lack of published data from any European country on the prevalence of dementia across hospitals and between patient groups.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and associations of dementia in older patients admitted to acute hospitals in Ireland.