Incidence and risk factors of cognitive impairment: A 6-year follow-up study from North India

Abstract

BackgroundMore than 55 million people globally suffer from cognitive impairment (CI), and over 60% of them reside in low- and middle-income countries. Longitudinal studies provide a more robust understanding of incidence and risk factors. The present study aimed to estimate the incidence and socio-demographic, anthropometric, and biochemical risk factors of CI in the Jat community of North India. MethodsThe present longitudinal study recruited 223 adult individuals of both sexes from the Jat community residing in the Palwal district of Haryana, North India. Data on socio-demographic variables were collected through a pretested interview schedule. Assessment of cognition in both baseline and end-line was done through RUDAS. Data on anthropometric and biochemical variables were collected through standardized methods. ResultsThe overall incidence rate of CI in the studied population was found to be 28.4 per 1000 individuals-years. Further, among all the socio-demographic, anthropometric, and biochemical variables considered, illiteracy (2.5-fold), high waist-hip ratio (WHR) (5.1-fold), and high percentage body fat (PBF) (2.9-fold) in the baseline were significantly associated with increased risk for incidence-CI. However, none of the biochemical variables posed any significantly increased risk for the incidence of CI. ConclusionThe present study is the first of its kind follow-up study on CI in India, which evaluated the incidence rate and associated risk factors for the incidence of CI in the population. The study revealed a substantial incidence rate of CI in the studied population and found illiteracy, high WHR, and high PBF to be associated with the incidence of CI.