Project description:ObjectivesTo examine the association between self-reported vision impairment (VI), hearing impairment (HI), and dual-sensory impairment (DSI), stratified by dementia status, on hospital admissions, hospice use, and healthcare costs.DesignRetrospective analysis.SettingMedicare Current Beneficiary Survey from 1999 to 2006.ParticipantsRotating panel of community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries, aged 65 years and older (N = 24 009).MeasurementsVI and HI were ascertained by self-report. Dementia status was determined by self-report or diagnosis codes in claims data. Primary outcomes included any inpatient admission over a 2-year period, hospice use over a 2-year period, annual Medicare fee-for-service costs, and total healthcare costs (which included information from Medicare claims data and other self-reported payments).ResultsSelf-reported DSI was present in 30.2% (n = 263/871) of participants with dementia and 17.8% (n = 4112/23 138) of participants without dementia. In multivariable logistic regression models, HI, VI, or DSI was generally associated with increased odds of hospitalization and hospice use regardless of dementia status. In a generalized linear model adjusted for demographics, annual total healthcare costs were greater for those with DSI and dementia compared to those with DSI without dementia ($28 875 vs $3340, respectively). Presence of any sensory impairment was generally associated with higher healthcare costs. In a model adjusted for demographics, Medicaid status, and chronic medical conditions, DSI compared with no sensory impairment was associated with a small, but statistically significant, difference in total healthcare spending in those without dementia ($1151 vs $1056; P < .001) but not in those with dementia ($11 303 vs $10 466; P = .395).ConclusionOlder adults with sensory and cognitive impairments constitute a particularly prevalent and vulnerable population who are at increased risk of hospitalization and contribute to higher healthcare spending. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:1617-1624, 2019.
Project description:Genome wide DNA methylation assays was conducted using the Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadArray technology (Methyl850K chip) that allows genome-wide DNA methylation analysis of 866,836 CpG sites. We included baseline and 2-year follow-up samples from 25 persons with mild cognitive impairment (cases) and 20 persons with cognitively normal (controls). Sample was balanced by age and sex.
Project description:BackgroundSelf-reported discrimination is a source of psychosocial stress that has been previously associated with poor cognitive function in older African Americans without dementia.ObjectiveHere, we examine the association of discrimination with dementia and cognitive impairment in racially diverse older Brazilians.MethodsWe included 899 participants 65 years or older (34.3% Black) from the Pathology, Alzheimer's and Related Dementias Study (PARDoS), a community-based study of aging and dementia. A structured interview with informants of the deceased was conducted. The interview included the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) Scale for the diagnosis of dementia and cognitive impairment proximate to death and the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) as a second measure of cognitive impairment. Informant-reported discrimination was assessed using modified items from the Major and Everyday Discrimination Scales.ResultsDiscrimination was reported by informants of 182 (20.2%) decedents and was more likely reported by informants of Blacks than Whites (25.3% versus 17.6%, p = 0.006). Using the CDR, a higher level of informant-reported discrimination was associated with higher odds of dementia (OR: 1.24, 95% CI 1.08 -1.42, p = 0.002) and cognitive impairment (OR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.06 -1.39, p = 0.004). Similar results were observed using the IQCODE (estimate: 0.07, SE: 0.02, p = 0.003). The effects were independent of race, sex, education, socioeconomic status, major depression, neuroticism, or comorbidities.ConclusionHigher level of informant-reported discrimination was associated with higher odds of dementia and cognitive impairment in racially diverse older Brazilians.
Project description:BackgroundThe presence of cognitive impairment (CI) among hospitalized older adults (aged 85 years and older) could interfere with the identification and treatment of other important symptoms experienced by these patients. Little is known, however, about the nursing care provided to this group. Contrasting the nursing care provided to patients with and without CI may reveal important insights about symptom treatment in the CI population.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to examine the relationship of CI to nursing care provided and length of stay for hospitalized older adults using standardized nursing data retrieved from electronic health records.MethodsWe conducted a comparative secondary data analysis. A data set of standardized nursing plan of care data retrieved from electronic health record data of nine units at four hospitals was analyzed. The plan of care data for this study were previously transformed into one of eight categories (family, well-being, mental comfort, physical comfort, mental, safety, functional, and physiological care). Fisher exact tests were used to compare the differences in the nursing care for hospitalized older adults with and without CI. Mixed-effects models were used to examine associations of patient's cognitive status and nursing care, and cognitive status and length of stay.ResultsWe identified 4,354 unique patients; 746 (17%) had CI. We observed that older adults with CI were less likely to receive physical comfort care than those without CI for seven of nine units. Older adults' cognitive status was associated with the delivery of mental comfort care. In addition, a worsening in cognitive status was associated with an increase in length of stay for older adults with CI.DiscussionOlder adults with CI appeared to be undertreated for symptoms of pain when compared to those without CI across units. There is a need for further research to improve symptom recognition and management for this population. The presence of CI was associated with variation in nursing care provided and length of stay. Future studies that include the analysis of nursing data merged with elements stored in the electronic health record representing the contributions of other health professions are expected to provide additional insights into this gap.
Project description:BackgroundSome dietary patterns and dietary components have an important role in preventing and helping to improve patients' quality of life of individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and dementia. In Mexico, it is unknown what the dietary patterns are among older adults with MCI and dementia. We aimed to identify the dietary patterns of older adults with MCI and dementia living in Yucatan, Mexico.MethodsA cross-sectional study was carried out among 39 patients as controls and 34 individuals as cases (MCI and dementia). A food frequency questionnaire collected diet information, anthropometric and clinical parameters, and lifestyle characteristics. The dietary patterns were evaluated through Partial Least-Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA).ResultsThe food groups that showed discrimination between groups and were classified into the dietary patterns of MCI and dementia individuals were "pastries and cookies," "soups," and "legumes." The dietary pattern of older adults without cognitive impairment was characterized by "nuts and seeds," "candies," "vegetables," "coffee and tea," and "water." The consumption of "pastries and cookies" showed an increasing correlation with serum insulin levels (r = 0.36, p = 0.01), and "soups" showed an inverse correlation with total cholesterol levels (r = -0.36, p = 0.02) in patients with MCI and dementia. In controls, there is a positive correlation between the consumption of "nuts and seeds" (r = 0.333, p = 0.01) and "vegetables" (r = 0.32, p = 0.02) with levels of urea; "coffee and tea" showed a positive association with levels of insulin (r = 0.378, p = 0.05).ConclusionThe dietary pattern of individuals with MCI and dementia has some nutritional deficiencies. Including an adequate intake of vegetables, fruits, and protein could improve the quality of life of subjects living with these conditions in Yucatan, Mexico.
Project description:Objectives: Many medications have cognitive impairment, memory loss, amnesia, or dementia as side effects ("cognitive side effects" hereafter), but little is known about trends in the prevalence of these medications or their implications for population-level cognitive impairment. Method: We use data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2016) to describe trends in the use of medications with cognitive side effects among adults aged 60+ (N = 16,937) and their implications for cognitive functioning (measured using word learning and recall, animal fluency, and digit symbol substitution assessments). Results: Between 1999 to 2000 and 2015 to 2016, the prevalence of older adults taking one, two, and at least three medications with cognitive side effects increased by 10.2%, 57.3%, and 298.7%, respectively. Compared to non-users, respondents who simultaneously used three or more medications with cognitive side effects scored 0.22 to 0.27 standard deviations lower in word learning and recall (p = .02), digit symbol substitution (p < .01), and the average standardized score of the three assessments (p < .001). Limitation: Dosage of medications associated with cognitive side effects was not measured. Discussion: Concurrent use of medications with cognitive side effects among older adults has increased dramatically over the past two decades. The use of such medications is associated with cognitive impairment and may explain for disparities in cognitive function across subgroups. These findings highlight the need for cognitive screenings among patients who consume medications with cognitive side effects. They also highlight the synergic effects of polypharmacy and potential drug-drug interactions that result in cognitive deficits.
Project description:(1) Background: Life-space mobility assessments for institutionalized settings are scarce and there is a lack of comprehensive validation and focus on persons with cognitive impairment (CI). This study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Life-Space Assessment for Institutionalized Settings by proxy informants (LSA-IS-proxy) for institutionalized, older persons, with and without CI. (2) Methods: Concurrent validity against the self-reported version of the LSA-IS, construct validity with established construct variables, test-retest reliability, sensitivity to change during early multidisciplinary geriatric rehabilitation treatment, and feasibility (completion rate, floor/ceiling effects) of the LSA-IS-proxy, were assessed in 94 hospitalized geriatric patients (83.3 ± 6.1 years), with and without CI. (3) Results: The LSA-IS-proxy total score showed good-to-excellent agreement with the self-reported LSA-IS (Intraclass Correlations Coefficient, ICC3,1 = 0.77), predominantly expected small-to-high correlations with construct variables (r = 0.21-0.59), good test-retest reliability (ICC3,1 = 0.74), significant sensitivity to change over the treatment period (18.5 ± 7.9 days; p < 0.001, standardized response mean = 0.44), and excellent completion rates (100%) with no floor/ceiling effects. These results were predominantly confirmed for the sub-scores of the LSA-IS-proxy and were comparable between the sub-groups with different cognitive status. (4) Conclusions: The LSA-IS-proxy has proven to be feasible, valid, reliable, and sensitive to change in hospitalized, geriatric patients with and without CI.
Project description:ObjectivesCognitive impairment and dementia have rising prevalence and impact the health care utilization and lives of older adults. Receipt of low-value (LV) care and underutilization of high-value (HV) care by individuals with these cognitive disorders may have negative consequences for patient health, health system efficiency, and societal welfare. Evidence on health care value among cognitively impaired individuals is limited; we thus ascertained receipt of LV and HV health care in older adults with normal cognition, cognitive impairment without dementia (CIND), and dementia.Study designRetrospective cohort study of Health and Retirement Study data linked to Medicare claims (1996-2018).MethodsWe examined the association between cognitive decline and the receipt of 5 LV and 7 HV services vs individuals with no change in cognition.ResultsReceipt of LV care ranged from 4% to 13% regardless of cognitive status. Cognitive decline (from unimpaired to either CIND or dementia) was associated with decreased probability of receipt of 1 LV service (colorectal cancer screening at 85 years and older [5-percentage-point reduction; P = .047]) and 3 HV services (glucose-lowering drugs [7-percentage-point reduction; P = .029], statins [32-percentage-point reduction; P = .045], and antiresorptive therapy [61-percentage-point reduction; P = .019]).ConclusionsLV service receipt is wasteful and may be harmful, but it was not consistently associated with cognitive status. Lack of HV care for those with cognitive impairment could be a missed opportunity to improve well-being or reduce preventable adverse events. Our results suggest opportunities for improving the quality of care received by all older adults, including those with cognitive impairment.
Project description:BackgroundDementia and cognitive impairment rates in Asia have significant policy implications. Contrary to the existing literature, which primarily focused on the Western region, in this study, we provide novel insights into previously unexplored geographical contexts. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia in Asia.MethodsAdhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines, we searched six bibliographic databases: Web of Science, Medline, Science Direct, Ovid, Google Scholar, and PubMed. We targeted cross-sectional studies on dementia and cognitive impairment in Asia, published between 2019-23.ResultsOur extensive search yielded 2593 original articles, of which 39 met eligibility criteria. This selection unveiled a significant rise in dementia and cognitive impairment prevalence in Asia, aligning now with trends observed in Western countries - a novel finding that challenges previous assumptions about regional prevalence disparities. The studies predominantly conducted in East Asia (n = 29), along with limited research from Southeast (n = 2), South (n = 7), and Central Asia (n = 1), underscore the geographical gaps in current research. This shift in prevalence patterns is potentially linked to demographic changes, urbanisation, environmental factors, ethnic diversity, and neuroimaging advancements. Identifying modifiable risk factors associated with dementia in these regions presents new avenues for prevention and intervention strategies.ConclusionsCurrent dementia research in Asia is concentrated in East Asia, with limited data from Southeast, South, and Central Asia. Comprehensive studies across all parts of Asia are crucial to establishing robust data collection methods and identifying modifiable risk factors. This can help manage and mitigate the growing burden of dementia in these societies.