A Longitudinal Study of the Effect of Memory on the Quality of life of European Adults and Older Adults
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Among studies conceptualizing quality of life (QoL) as the subjective measure of one’s well-being, evidence suggests a link between cognitive impairment and diminished quality of life. However, the direction of the association is not clear, and most studies have employed a global measure of cognition, which can mask subtle domain-specific declines. In this study, we aim at examining the longitudinal associations between memory and QoL in a representative sample of adults and older adults in Europe and Israel, employing data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). The sample was composed by 56,616 respondents aged 50 or older at the beginning of the study period. A Parallel-Process Latent Growth Model (PP LGM) of memory and QoL conditioned on the effects of age, gender, educational level, physical inactivity, depressive symptomatology and social activity participation, was tested. Results displayed a trajectory of decline for both memory and QoL, with higher initial levels of memory associated with higher initial levels of QoL, and steeper decline in memory associated with steeper decline in QoL. Moreover, a positive effect of initial memory onto QoL trend over time was found, indicating that better memory is associated to better QoL in the future, but the opposite did not occur. Results also provide evidence of gender differences. All in all, this work found evidence supporting the longitudinal effect of memory on QoL, which may have consequences for intervention implementation, given that actions for alleviating age-related memory impairment could also have a positive impact onto older adults’ QoL.
Authors: Irene Fernández, Noemí Sansó, José M. Tomás
Language: English
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,090
Awards: Social Sciences & Humanities Open Cloud, Multinational Advancement of Research Infrastructures on Ageing, G1178032220, G1237079599, G1330667123, G1428006373, G1565542540, G1608581485, G1708035608, G1750703574, G1778268290, G1781191216, G1820526844, G2077389594, G2262748287, G2343781458, G24207250, G2465118858, G2576676356, G2593358879, G2601397997, G2647578825, G2841052746, G2881429984, G288447808, G300979063, G3166864496, G323020161, Achieving world-class standards in all SHARE countries, G3361099077, G3440788226, G3457581384, G3480869486, G3497955178, G3654244103, G3681454997, G3687180791, G4042783231, G4096536797, G410571670, G4165969582, RAND Center for the Study of Aging, G425668148, G4290142911, G434337789, Upgrading the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe – preparatory phase, G451917667, G4545110052, G4569152855, G4587185496, Cohesion in further developing and innovating SHARE across all 28 member countries, G4723430573, G4847675667, G5021238699, G503278667, G504669776, G5062201959, G5080475149, Data Service Infrastructure for the Social Sciences and Humanities, G5207492846, G5618942462, Non-intended health, economic and social effects of the COVID-19 epidemic control decisions: Lessons from SHARE (SHARE-COVID19), G5857780965, G5967599077, G6053673296, G6055688980, G6122222817, G6476390097, G6678519423, G6767647029, G6969501727, G6978085111, Synergies for Europe's Research Infrastructures in the Social Sciences, G751768989, DEVELOPING AN ISRAELI VERSION OF THE HRS/SHARE PROJECT, G8072554765, G8677177991, Longitudinal Enhancement and Access imProvement of the SHARE infrastructure, G8806983220, G8875743412, G8957671751, G9000113159, Understanding and Improving Healthcare Decision-Making and Outcomes for People Living with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias, Health and Retirement Study: Yrs 35-40, G93458789
OpenAlex ID: W4394786008