Associated factors for cognitive impairment in the rural highly elderly.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Among the symptoms commonly faced by an increasingly aged population, dementia, preceded by cognitive impairment, most threatens their quality of life. Dementia is a well-recognized burden, not only for individuals who face the disease and for their families, but also for entire nation. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to identify associated factors for cognitive impairment in a very elderly population via a screening study design in Sokcho, a rural area in South Korea. METHODS: Trained nurses screened patients from 75-84 years of age for dementia using the Mini-Mental State Examination for Dementia Screening (MMSE-DS) and conducted interviews to determine their socioeconomic status, education level, and living conditions (i.e., with or without family). RESULTS: In total, 4,369 subjects (1,646 males, 2,723 females) were enrolled in this study. Reported MMSE-DS scores decreased with increasing age and to a greater degree in less educated subjects (p < 0.001). Subjects requiring medical assistance or living alone exhibited lower MMSE-DS scores compared to those who did not require medical assistance or who lived alone (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: We found that less education, lower socioeconomic status, and living alone were associated factors for cognitive impairment based on this study of an elderly population.