Is cognitive decline in the elderly associated with contextual income? Results of a population-based study in southern Brazil

Abstract

The aim of this study was to estimate the association between contextual income and cognitive decline in the elderly in Florianópolis, a medium-sized city in southern Brazil. A nested cross-sectional study was performed in a cohort of elderly ≥ 60 years (n = 1,197), interviewed in the second wave (2013/2014) of the EpiFloripa cohort. Cognitive decline was assessed with the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and contextual income was measured as the mean monthly income of the heads of households. Individual adjustment variables were sex, age, skin color, per capita household income, years of schooling, and time living in the neighborhood. The data were analyzed using multilevel logistic regression. The odds of cognitive decline were twice as high (OR = 1.99; 95%CI: 1.03; 3.87) in elderly living in census tracts with the lowest income quintile compared to those in the highest quintile, independently of individual characteristics. In conclusion, the socioeconomic environment is related to cognitive decline and should be considered in public policies with a focus on health of the elderly.

Determinants of Elderly Pedestrian Traffic Behavior in Iran: The Role of Socio Economic and Cognition Status

“…Previous studies found a correlation between cognitive function and SES (15,39,40), similar to that identi ed in the present study. Thus, high SES seems to be associated with improved cognitive status, which, in turn, enhances tra c behavior in the elderly.…”

“…In the present study, the cognitive function analysis showed that 37% of the elderly had mild to major cognitive impairment. The prevalence of cognitive impairment among the elderly population was reported to vary from 5-36% in different countries (15,33,34). The difference may be explained by the use of different measurement tools.…”

The perception of the elderly about suffering related to frailty

“…The interviewees perceived the city as a source of risk. The lack of financial resources and urban safety were pointed out as a source of discomfort that hinders a good quality of life and compromises the health of individuals, which corroborates the study of Danielewicz et al 25 .…”

Vulnerability, family violence and institutionalization: narratives for elderly and professionals in social welcome center

“…It is also known that institutionalization can have negative effects for the elderly (14) . The presence of symptoms of depression, decreased levels of physical activity or leisure and loss of functional independence, potentiate functional decline (16) . However, it has already been shown that specialized and humanized care has potentially positive benefits for the elderly (10,(17)(18) .…”

“…The perception of functional vulnerability and the situations of family violence experienced refer to life stories, marked by physical or mental suffering, as well as illnesses, the lack of financial resources, security, care and family support (15)(16) . These narratives are filled with emotion and express suffering when reporting how the individual lived before institutional care and the recognition of the benefits acquired after institutionalization (15)(16)19) , which can be observed through the following statements:…”