Study on the Factors Related to the Cognitive Function and Depression Among the Elderly

Shin, Cheol Ho; Kim, Soo Young; Lee, Young Soo; Cho, Young Chae; Lee, Tae Yong; Lee, Dong Bae

Abstract

To investigate the factors which affecting the cognitive function and depression of the 65 or more age group, the authors surveyed for the subjects in the region of Taejon and nearby Taejon area. 729 studied subjects were tested for cognitive function with MMSE and depression with GDS. The main results were followings; In the studied subjects, the rate of normal cognitive function was 56.8%, the rate of mildly impaired was 24.l% and the rate of severe impairment was 19.l%. The cognitive function level was closely related to the depression score. As the age increased, the cognitive function was more impaired. Sexual difference was also existed in the cognitive function level and the depression score. After adjusting the effect of age, the variables such as sex, marital status, education level, past job, instrumental ability of daily living, regular physical exercise, frequencies of going out the house, chest discomfort, visual and auditory disturbance, and dizziness had the significant relationship with cognitive function impairment. Among these variables instrumental ADL, age, visual disturbance, and sex showed statistical significance in the logistic regression model. In the multiple stepwise regression, the variables which had significant relationship to depression score were education level, frequencies of going out house, current job and house work activity, regular physical exercise, instrumental ADL, self-rated health and nutritional status, dizziness, visual disturbance, and chest pain. In conclusion, main characteristics which had close relationship to the cognitive function and depression symptoms in the studied subjects were physical function and self rated health status.