Abstract
Background The growing aging population is a global phenomenon and a major public health challenge. Among Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, Korea is the fastest aging country. We aimed to investigate the relationship between changes in quality of life (QOL) and cognitive function in older adults. Method: Data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging collected from 2008 to 2016 were used. In 3453 participants (men: 1943; women: 1541), QOL was measured by three aspects: general, financial, and familial. Changes in QOL status were assessed by four categories: remained poor, worsened, improved, and remained good. The level of cognitive function was measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination score (MMSE, normal range cut-off value: 24 or above). For the statistical analysis, the generalized equation model (GEE) was performed. Results: For all three aspects of QOL measured, participants whose QOL score remained poor were associated with cognitive decline that their odds ratios (OR) were statistically significant (general: OR = 1.33; familial: OR = 1.39; financial: OR = 1.40). For subgroup analysis by gender, the highest OR in men was the financial aspect of QOL (OR = 1.45); in women, the highest OR was the familial aspect of QOL (OR = 1.75). Conclusion: This study showed an association between QOL and cognitive function in a Korean elderly population. Our findings suggest that QOL measurements with a gender-specific approach can be used as a tool to detect cognitive changes in older adults and help prevent or delay cognitive decline.
Highlights
The growing aging population has become a global issue that reflects changes in society as modernization progresses in most countries [1,2]
For the financial aspect of quality of life, 24.1% of participants (n = 832) remained poor, 6.2% (n = 218) worsened, 32.2% (n = 1111) improved, and 37.4% (n = 1292) remained good at baseline, 31.9% of participants had assessed their general quality of life as bad; 54.5%, familial quality of life; and 30.4%, financial quality of life
The results demonstrated that participants who were unemployed had higher odds ratios (OR) of low cognitive function measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score
Summary
The growing aging population has become a global issue that reflects changes in society as modernization progresses in most countries [1,2]. To help tackle this issue, the World Health. In 3453 participants (men: 1943; women: 1541), QOL was measured by three aspects: general, financial, and familial. Results: For all three aspects of QOL measured, participants whose QOL score remained poor were associated with cognitive decline that their odds ratios (OR) were statistically significant (general: OR = 1.33; familial: OR = 1.39; financial: OR = 1.40). Conclusion: This study showed an association between QOL and cognitive function in a Korean elderly population. Our findings suggest that QOL measurements with a gender-specific approach can be used as a tool to detect cognitive changes in older adults and help prevent or delay cognitive decline
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
