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. 2012 Jan;2(1):529-42.
doi: 10.1159/000345036. Epub 2012 Nov 20.

Individual and Area Level Socioeconomic Status and Its Association with Cognitive Function and Cognitive Impairment (Low MMSE) among Community-Dwelling Elderly in Singapore

Liang En Wee  1 , Wei Xin Yeo, Gui Rong Yang, Nazirul Hannan, Kenny Lim, Christopher Chua, Mae Yue Tan, Nikki Fong, Amelia Yeap, Lionel Chen, Gerald Choon-Huat Koh, Han Ming Shen
Affiliations

Individual and Area Level Socioeconomic Status and Its Association with Cognitive Function and Cognitive Impairment (Low MMSE) among Community-Dwelling Elderly in Singapore

Liang En Wee et al. Dement Geriatr Cogn Dis Extra. 2012 Jan.

Abstract

Background/aims: Neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) can affect cognitive function. We assessed cognitive function and cognitive impairment among community-dwelling elderly in a multi-ethnic urban low-SES Asian neighborhood and compared them with a higher-SES neighborhood.

Methods: The study population involved all residents aged ≥60 years in two housing estates comprising owner-occupied housing (higher SES) and rental flats (low SES) in Singapore in 2012. Cognitive impairment was defined as <24 on the Mini Mental State Examination. Demographic/clinical details were collected via questionnaire. Multilevel linear regression was used to evaluate factors associated with cognitive function, while multilevel logistic regression determined predictors of cognitive impairment.

Results: Participation was 61.4% (558/909). Cognitive impairment was found in 26.2% (104/397) of residents in the low-SES community and in 16.1% (26/161) of residents in the higher-SES community. After adjusting for other sociodemographic variables, living in a low-SES community was independently associated with poorer cognitive function (β = -1.41, SD = 0.58, p < 0.01) and cognitive impairment (adjusted odds ratio 5.13, 95% CI 1.98-13.34). Among cognitively impaired elderly in the low-SES community, 96.2% (100/104) were newly detected.

Conclusion: Living in a low-SES community is independently associated with cognitive impairment in an urban Asian society.

Keywords: Asia; Cognitive impairment; Neighborhood; Socioeconomic status.

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