Abstract
BackgroundLate-life depression (LLD) is considered as a prodrome to dementia and plays a major role in the development of long-term cognitive disabilities. We aimed to estimate the prevalence and correlates of LLD and cognitive impairment and to explore their associations among older adults in India.MethodsData for this study was derived from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) Wave 1 (2017-18). The total sample included 31,464 (15,098 male and 16,366 female) older individuals aged 60 years and above. Cognitive impairment measured from various domains derived from the cognitive module of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), and major depression measured by the CIDI-SF (Composite International Diagnostic Interview- Short Form) were the outcome variables. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable analyses were performed to fulfill the objectives of the study.ResultsThe overall prevalence of LLD and cognitive impairment for the current sample was 8.7% and 13.7 % respectively. Among older individuals who have rated their health status as poor were 2.59 times more likely to suffer from LLD [OR: 2.59, CI: 2.24–2.99] as compared to their counterparts. The older adults who had difficulty in activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) were 74% and 69 % more likely to suffer from LLD. Similarly, older adults who were depressed had higher odds of cognitive impairment [OR: 1.22, CI: 1.01–1.48] compared to their counterparts. Also, older adults who were depressed and belonged to rural areas were 2.58 times [AOR: 2.58, CI: 1.95–3.41] more likely to be cognitively impaired than those who were not depressed and resided in urban areas.ConclusionsDepression is linked to an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia; therefore, failing to diagnose and treat LLD in later life may have significant health implications. Moreover, treatment under the care of a cognitive neurologist or geriatric psychiatrist is recommended for people with LLD and cognitive disability due to both the disorders' complex existence.
Highlights
In an aging population, cognitive impairment is a major risk factor for ill health, but it places a significant burden on public health [1]
Socio-demographic profile of the study participants Table 1 represents the socio-demographic profile of the older adults aged 60 and above in India
Multi-variable analysis shows that the oldest old participants were 20 % less likely to suffer from Late-life depression (LLD) [OR: 0.80, Confidence Interval (CI): 0.62–1.04] in comparison to the youngold adults
Summary
Cognitive impairment is a major risk factor for ill health, but it places a significant burden on public health [1]. It is common in late life and may be caused by aging and associated physical or psychological disorders [2]. Late-life depression (LLD) is a significant public health concern as it leads to functional decline, physical disability, and increased health care usage [7, 8]. Depressive symptoms are more frequent among the oldest old population, but the higher frequency is explained by the factors like aging, physical disability, and cognitive impairment [5, 13].
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