Factors associated with severe cognitive decline in community-dwelling older persons in Cameroon (Sub-Saharan African)

Abstract

Abstract Severe cognitive decline (SVD) is a major cause of dependency in older people. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with severe cognitive decline, as assessed by the mini-mental state examination (MMSE), in community-dwelling adults aged 55 + in Cameroon. Method: Data are from a cross-sectional survey carried out in Cameroon. The Cognitive status was assessed using the MMSE and a score of 18/30 or lower is considered as a proxy of severe cognitive decline Result: A total of 403 adults participated in the study. Of these, 16 (3.9%) had an MMSE score < 18 and were considered to have severe cognitive decline. The rate of severe cognitive decline increased with rising age, from 2.1% in those aged 55 to 64 years, to 3.3% in those aged 65 to 74, and 11% in those aged 75 and older. The factors associated with severe cognitive decline (MMSE score < 18) by multivariate analysis in our population are level of education (OR 0.10 (95%CI 0.02–0.37), p < 0.01), body mass index (OR 0.88 (95%CI 0.78–0.99), p = 0.03). and IADL score (OR 0.12 (95%CI 0.03–0.38), p < 0.001). Conclusion: The three main factors associated with cognitive decline were education, IADL dependency and BMI. This study shows that among older people in sub-Saharan Africa, the effect of BMI, IADL dependency and education on cognitive function appears similar to that observed in middle- and high-income countries.