Mohammad Shoaib Hamrah

Australia’s South Asian population has increased rapidly and now accounts for over 14 per cent of our total overseas-born residents. South Asian migrants are at greater risk of dementia but, unfortunately, they are less likely to access health services that can reduce this risk. Dr Hamrah has examined the prevalence and correlates of modifiable risk factors for dementia among 200 Indian, Bhutanese, Nepalese and Afghan migrants aged 50 years or over who are now living in Tasmania.  Key members of these communities were provided with information about the study, to invite their assistance to recruit participants and ensure the approach is culturally respectful.

Dr Hamrah’s findings provide valuable baseline information on the behavioural and lifestyle factors of South Asian migrants, highlighting key areas for intervention for dementia prevention strategies. When compared with non-migrant Australians (who were more likely to drink alcohol), South Asian migrants were more likely to smoke, have hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, cognitive inactivity and not follow a Mediterranean-type diet. 

Gaining a clearer picture of the health risk profile of Tasmania's migrant populations will guide preventive interventions to minimise future poor health trajectories and ultimately reduce dementia risk. These results will facilitate the design of culturally appropriate interventions that address dementia risk factors and feed into systematic approaches to developing an educational intervention that reaches thousands of migrants across Australia.

Read more about this exciting project

Hamrah M et al (2025).  A comparison of modifiable risk factors for dementia among South Asian migrants and non-migrants aged 50 or older in Tasmania, Australia.  BMC Public Health, 25, 2362 (2025)

At the time of the award, Dr Mohammad Shoaib Hamrah was a Research Fellow in the Epidemiology of Dementia for the ISLAND Project, Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of Tasmania.