Exploratory research on outcomes for individuals missing through dementia wandering in Japan.

Aim: To clarify the factors related to outcomes of individuals missing through dementia wandering.

Methods: We carried out binary logistic regression analysis with 160 family members of missing persons (88 survivors, 72 decedents).

Results: Living alone at the point of going missing (OR 13.45, 95% CI 1.12-161.56), being found within the local area (OR 6.36, 95% CI 2.26-17.88), and a long period between going missing and being found (OR 6.14, 95% CI 3.14-12.00) were significantly related with death.

Conclusions: Early detection of missing persons is essential in preventing dementia wandering-related deaths. The time taken to locate missing dementia patients who lived alone was longer, relative to that of those who lived with others, and this increased the risk of death. Furthermore, the locations where the deceased were located tended to be local, rather than distant areas. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 902-906.