Dataset Information

Patterns of Prevalence of Multiple Sensory Impairments Among Community-dwelling Older Adults.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Much is known about individual sensory deficits among older adults, but there is a dearth of information about the prevalence of multiple concurrent sensory deficits in this population.

Methods

We evaluated the prevalence of individual and multiple sensory impairments at the most recent clinic visit among participants aged 24 years and older in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) (hearing, vision, olfaction, proprioception, and vestibular function) and Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC) (hearing, vision, olfaction). We compared observed prevalence of multiple sensory impairments with expected prevalence based on compounded probabilities of multiple impairments using Fisher Exact Tests. Also, we evaluated the comparability of different measures used between these two studies.

Results

In both studies, the prevalence of each individual sensory impairment was common (>10%), and higher with older age, and the most common pattern of co-occurring sensory impairments was hearing and visual impairments (17.4% [BLSA]; 50.2% [ARIC]). In BLSA, the pattern that differed the most between observed and expected prevalence was combined hearing, vision, and olfactory impairments (observed 5.2% vs 1.4% expected, p = .01). In ARIC, this difference was much smaller (observed 8.1% vs 7.2% expected, p = .49).

Conclusions

Although concurrent hearing and vision impairments were the most common co-occurring deficits, combined hearing, vision, and olfactory impairments are most likely to co-occur above chance, especially at older ages.

SUBMITTER: Armstrong NM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9536434 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Patterns of Prevalence of Multiple Sensory Impairments Among Community-dwelling Older Adults.

Armstrong Nicole M NM Wang Hang H E Jian-Yu JY Lin Frank R FR Abraham Alison G AG Ramulu Pradeep P Resnick Susan M SM Tian Qu Q Simonsick Eleanor E Gross Alden L AL Schrack Jennifer A JA Ferrucci Luigi L Agrawal Yuri Y

The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences 20221001 10

<h4>Background</h4>Much is known about individual sensory deficits among older adults, but there is a dearth of information about the prevalence of multiple concurrent sensory deficits in this population.<h4>Methods</h4>We evaluated the prevalence of individual and multiple sensory impairments at the most recent clinic visit among participants aged 24 years and older in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) (hearing, vision, olfaction, proprioception, and vestibular function) and Athe ...[more]

PMID: 34608938

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Project description:Introduction: Diminishing cognitive and physical functions, worsening psychological symptoms, and increased mortality risk and morbidity typically accompany aging. The aging population's health needs will continue to increase as the proportion of the population aged > 50 years increases. Pet ownership (PO) has been linked to better health outcomes in older adults, particularly those with chronic conditions. Much of the evidence is weak. Little is known about PO patterns as people age or the contribution of PO to successful aging in community-dwelling older adults. This study examines PO patterns among healthy community-dwelling older adults and the relationship of PO to cognitive and physical functions and psychological status. Methods: Participants in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (> 50 years old, N = 378) completed a battery of cognitive, physical function, and psychological tests, as well as a PO questionnaire. Descriptive and non-parametric or general/generalized linear model analyses were conducted for separate outcomes. Results: Most participants (82%) had kept pets and 24% have pets: 14% dogs, 12% cats, 3% other pets. The most frequent reasons for having pets included enjoyment (80%) and companionship (66%). Most owners had kept the pet they had the longest for over 10 years (70%). PO was lower in older decades (p < 0.001). Pet owners were more likely to live in single-family homes and reside with others (p = 0.001) than non-owners. Controlling for age, PO was associated independently with better cognitive function (verbal leaning/memory p = 0.041), dog ownership predicted better physical function (daily energy expenditure, p = 0.018), and cat ownership predicted better cognitive functioning (verbal learning/memory, p = 0.035). Many older adults who did not own pets (37%) had regular contact with pets, which was also related to health outcomes. Conclusion: PO is lower at older ages, which mirrors the general pattern of poorer cognitive and physical function, and psychological status at older ages. PO and regular contact with pets (including PO) are associated with better cognitive status compared with those who did not own pets or had no regular contact with pets independent of age. Dog ownership was related to better physical function. Longitudinal analysis is required to evaluate the association of PO and/or regular contact with maintenance of health status over time.

Dataset Information

Patterns of Prevalence of Multiple Sensory Impairments Among Community-dwelling Older Adults.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Patterns of Prevalence of Multiple Sensory Impairments Among Community-dwelling Older Adults.

Similar Datasets

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