Investigation On The Status And Influential Factors Of Cognitive Function Of The Community-dwelling Elderly In Changsha City

Objectives: To investigate the status of cognitive function in the community-dwelling elderly of Changsha City, and to explore the influential factors, so as to provide scientific base data on the propotional interventions of cognitive function for the elderly.Methods: Through stratified randomly sampling, data of 1000 subjects sampled from the communities of Changsha City were collected by the self-designed demographic information sheet, mini-mental state examination ( MMSE ) and activity of daily living ( ADL ). Statistic methods such as descriptive statistics, one sample T test, independent samples T test, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis H analysis, Spearman bivariate correlations, and regression analysis, were performed by SPSS 13.0 (Statistical Package for Social Science 13.0).Results: (1) The mean score of MMSE was 24.35±4.91, ranged from 4 to 30. (2) Of the demographic datas, gender, age, marriage, education level, occupations, income, caregivers, and health self-appraised had obvious impacts on cognitive function of the elderly(P<0.01), medication history and hobby had impacts on cognitive function of the elderly(P<0.05). ADL had an impact on cognitive function of the elderly(P<0.01); There was a negative correlation between ADL and cognitive function of the elderly, the Spearman's coefficients was -0.182. The results of multiplicity analysis were as follows: age, education level, health self-appraised, gender, ADL, medication history and caregiver were taken into the linear regression equation(P<0.01). Besides the above factors, hobby was selected into Logistic stepwise regression equation, there was a statistical significance(P<0.01).Conclusions: (1)According to the standard abroad of MMSE, the level of cognitive function in the community-dwelling elderly of Changsha City was normal on the whole; By the internal standard, over one fourth subjects had different degree cognitive impairment. (2)The influential factors of cognitive function included gender, age, marriage, educational level, occupation, income, hobby, caregiver, medication history, health self-appraised and ADL. Referring to the speciality, age, educational level, gender, health self-appraised, ADL, medication history, and major caregiver were the striking influential factors.