The World Health Organization says up to 45% of dementia risk could be prevented or delayed by addressing modifiable risk factors such as tobacco use and air pollution. The World Health Organization also describes dementia as a leading cause of death, which makes prevention policy important for public health and ageing care.
The current significance for UPSC lies in the policy link between non-communicable disease prevention and environmental health. The same issue can be used to revise health governance, risk-factor reduction, and the role of air-pollution control in disease prevention.
Why the issue matters
Dementia is not only a medical issue. The World Health Organization framing shows that a large share of risk may be reduced through public policy on tobacco control, clean air, and broader preventive health systems.
Key facts for Prelims
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