P3‐277: Levels of cognitive impairment among elders in cuba: Findings from the survey on health, well‐being, and aging in latin america and the caribbean (SABE)
Year: 2015
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: With the potential for more open relations between the United States and the nation of Cuba, we also hope to learn more about the health of Cuban elders. While there has been a growth in gerontological research in Latin American (LA) due largely to PAHO and national initiatives, much work remains to be done. For Cuba, a 50 year embargo on the exchange of scientific and technical information means almost nothing is known about the health, and cognitive states of Cuban elders. This paper employs the Cuban module of SABE to examine the cognitive functioning of Cubans over the age of 60. The SABE Cuban sample is a representative sample of elders living in the city of Havana and, to our knowledge, provides the only study of Cuban elders available to the broader research community. The paper used data from the Cuban sample of the 2000 SABE, funded by PAHO to better understand the health of the aging population in Latin America. The Cuban sample represents a survey of 1,905 individuals aged 60 and older with a weighted sample of 1,811,043 individuals. Cognitive functioning is measured using a Modified MMSE was developed by the PAHO researchers using nine variables instead of the 19 original MMSE variables. A cutoff point of 12/13 was defined to identify people with cognitive deterioration. With the MMSE, the study also used the Yesavage Geriatric Depression Scale to provide a measure of mental health. Weighted analysis finds that 4% of Cuban women and 3% of Cuban men scored a problematic MMSE. While this is lower than rates seen for some LA nations, it is consistent with earlier work, estimating overall rates in LA at 4%. Multivariate analysis provides insight into the demographic and health behaviors associated with higher risks of cognitive deterioration.
Source: Alzheimer s & Dementia
Author: James W. Mcnally
Institution: University of Michigan
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2395373766