Associations of social interactions during the COVID-19 pandemic with cognitive function among the South Korean older adults.
BMC Geriatr
; 23(1): 395, 2023 06 28.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37380976
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
We aimed to demonstrate the associations between social interactions within social distancing norms during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and cognitive function among South Korean older adults.METHODS:
Data from the 2017 and 2020 Survey of Living Conditions and Welfare Needs of Korean Older Persons were used. There were 18,813 participants (7,539 males; 11,274 females). T-test and multiple logistic regression analyses verified whether the mean difference in older adults' cognitive function before and during the COVID-19 pandemic was statistically significant. We also examined the associations between social interactions and cognitive function. The key results were presented as odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).RESULTS:
All participants were more likely to experience cognitive impairment during the COVID-19 pandemic than before (males OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.3-1.78; females OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.14-1.40). Cognitive impairment increased linearly with the decreased frequency of face-to-face contact with non-cohabiting children. Possible cognitive impairment was greater for females who had not visited senior welfare centers for the past year (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.21-1.69).CONCLUSION:
Korean older adults' cognitive function declined during the COVID-19 pandemic and was associated with reduced social interactions because of social distancing measures. Alternative interventions should be promoted for safely restoring social networks, considering the adverse effects of long-term social distancing on older adults' mental health and cognitive function.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Pandemias
/
COVID-19
Tipo de estudo:
Qualitative_research
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Aged
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Aged80
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Female
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Humans
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Male
País como assunto:
Asia
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article