Relationship between Social Activity and Cognitive Function in Korean Elderly.
- Author:
Woodong JO
1
;
Sang Joon SON
;
Yunhwan LEE
;
Joung Hwan BACK
;
Jai Sung NOH
;
Sang Hyun KOH
;
Hyun Chung KIM
;
Jinju KIM
;
Mi Ae PARK
;
Chang Hyung HONG
Author Information
1. Department of Psychiatry, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea. antiaging@ajou.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Social activity;
Cognition;
Elderly
- MeSH:
Aged;
Anxiety;
Cognition;
Cohort Studies;
Confounding Factors (Epidemiology);
Depression;
Hand;
Humans;
Logistic Models;
Surveys and Questionnaires;
Risk Factors
- From:Journal of Korean Geriatric Psychiatry
2012;16(1):38-43
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVES: Among non-pharmaceutical measures for preventing cognitive impairment, involving in social activities is known to be very effective. We tried to examine the correlation between social activity and cognitive function. METHODS: This study was based on the Suwon Project, a cohort comprising of non-random convenience samples of ethnic Koreans aged 60 years and above. All the subjects completed the study questionnaire which included demographic characteristics, current and past history of illnesses, drug history, Korean version of Mini Mental State Examination (K-MMSE), Korean version of Short Form Geriatric Depression Scale, and Beck Anxiety Inventory. We checked the time consumed in each 9 social activities through the checklist. RESULTS: On multiple logistic regression analysis, the total time spent in social activities wasinversely associated with the K-MMSE score after adjusting confounding variables like age, sex, education level, depression, anxiety and vascular risk factor (beta=-0.041, p=0.024). On the other hand, correlation was found between K-MMSE score and time spent in participating in religious party (beta=0.053, p=0.003) as well as time spent in elder's university (beta=0.040, p=0.025) after adjustingage, sex, education, depression, anxiety and vascular risk factor. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that involving in quality social activities might be more effective in improving cognitive function than spending longer total time in any social activity.
