Do perceptions of cognitive changes matter in self-management behaviors among persons with mild cognitive impairment?

Subjective memory complaints and cognitive performance among older adults living in low-income senior housing communities: The moderating role of race

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between subjective memory complaints and objective cognitive performance and test whether this relationship was moderated by race, after controlling for age, gender, and education. This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study including 151 older adults living in low-income senior housing. Results from the logistic regression models showed that compared to those without subjective memory complaints, older adults with subjective memory complaints had 2 times greater odds of having impaired cognition, after controlling for age, gender, and education (OR: 2.27, 95% CI: 1.08-4.78, p=.03). Race moderated the relationship between subjective memory complaints and the odds of having impaired cognition (p=.002). Findings suggest that subjective memory complaints are associated with objective cognitive performance and this relationship differed significantly for Black and White older adults. Further research is needed to understand reasons for these racial differences and to develop clinical interventions for supporting the cognitive health of older adults living in senior housing.

Factors influencing the self-management ability among older adults experiencing intrinsic capacity decline: a cross-sectional study

Aims

This study investigated the current status of intrinsic capacity and self-management abilities and analyzed the factors influencing the self-management abilities of older adults experiencing intrinsic capacity decline.

Methods

We included a sample of 382 older adults, with an average age of 72.92 ± 6.81 years, exhibiting intrinsic capacity decline in 38 communities in China. Questionnaires were administered using the sociodemographic questionnaire, the intrinsic capacity questionnaire, the social support scale, the self-rated health item, the eHealth literacy scale, and the self-management ability scale. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, and linear regression analysis.

Results

In this study, 43.5% of older people had impairments in three of the five dimensions of intrinsic capacity, the most significant proportion. The self-management ability score of older adults experiencing intrinsic capacity decline was 67.05 ± 12.53 out of 100. There were significant associations between age, perceived social support, and intrinsic ability composite score with self-management abilities (Age: β = -0.263; p < 0.001; social support: β = 0.291; p < 0.001; intrinsic capacity composite score: β = 0.179; p < 0.001). Higher levels of self-management ability were associated with more effective maintenance of psychological capacity, regardless of the type of older adults experiencing IC decline (all p < 0.05). For example, among older adults experiencing cognitive decline, maintaining psychological function was positively associated with self-management abilities (β = 0.294; p < 0.01).

Conclusion

The highest prevalence of concurrent impairments across three dimensions of intrinsic capacity was observed among older adults experiencing diminished intrinsic capacity. Fostering self-management abilities through social support and mental health interventions may benefit people experiencing intrinsic capacity decline.

Smokers with Multiple Chronic Disease Are More Likely to Quit Cigarette

Objective

This study aims to investigate the relationship between the presence of chronic medical conditions and cessation among U.S. adults who use combustible tobacco. We hypothesized that having chronic medical conditions would be associated with a higher likelihood of successfully quitting combustible tobacco.

Methods

We utilized longitudinal data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, using data from Waves 1 to 6. Only current daily smokers were included in our analysis. The independent variable was the number of chronic medical conditions, defined as zero, one, or two or more. The outcome was becoming a former smoker (quitting smoking). Using multivariate regression analyses, we assessed the association between the number of chronic conditions and tobacco cessation over the six waves. We controlled for potential confounding variables, including demographic factors and socioeconomic status.

Results

Our analysis revealed a significant association between the number of chronic medical conditions and the likelihood of quitting smoking. Specifically, individuals with two or more chronic conditions exhibited a greater probability of quitting smoking compared to those with no chronic conditions. The results remained significant after adjusting for potential confounders.

Conclusions

Multiple chronic medical conditions may act as a catalyst for smoking cessation among U.S. adults. This suggests that the presence of multimorbidity, defined as multiple chronic disease diagnoses, may serve as "teachable moments," prompting significant health behavior changes. These findings highlight the potential for leveraging chronic disease management and healthcare interventions to promote tobacco cessation, particularly among individuals with multiple chronic conditions.

Subjective Memory Decline Predicts Incident Cognitive Impairment among White-but Not Black or Hispanic-Older Adults

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

This study investigates whether subjective memory decline in a racially diverse sample of older adults without cognitive impairment at baseline is associated with incident cognitive impairment during a 12-year follow-up period.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

With panel data from a national sample (N=9,244) of cognitively-intact Black, White, and Hispanic Americans 65 years or older in 2004, we examine if subjective memory decline is associated with the loss of normal cognition by 2016. Cognitive status was assessed every two years with a modified version of the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status to identify the transition from normal cognition to cognitive impairment.

RESULTS

Estimates from Weibull accelerated failure-time models reveal that subjective memory decline is associated with earlier incident cognitive impairment (time ratio = 0.96, p<.05). In subsequent models stratified by race-ethnicity, this association was evident among White respondents (time ratio = 0.95, p<.01) but not among Black, US-born Hispanic, or foreign-born Hispanic respondents.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Given that the prognostic validity of subjective memory decline differs by race and ethnicity, caution is warranted when using it as a screening or clinical tool in diverse populations.