[Mild cognitive impairment and interest in health among community-dwelling older adults: A cross-sectional analysis of the Wako Cohort Study].

OBJECTIVE

Approaching the "population that is indifferent to health" is important for reducing health disparities. This also applies to individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Raising health awareness is essential for preventing further cognitive decline and the onset of various diseases, including dementia. This study examined the association between MCI and interest in health among community-dwelling older adults.

METHODS

We performed a cross-sectional analysis using baseline data from the Wako Cohort Study conducted in Wako City, Saitama Prefecture. A community survey was conducted in September-October 2023, and 1,004 individuals aged 65 years or older participated. Among them, 1,000 participants who completed the cognitive assessments were included in the analysis. The cognitive function of the participants was assessed using the Japanese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, with scores ≤25 classified as MCI. Interest in health was measured using the 12-item Interest in Health Scale (score range: 12-48). The covariates included sex, age, marital status, household composition, work status, years of education, economic status, self-rated health, number of chronic diseases, and depressive symptoms. We analyzed the data of the total sample and subsamples stratified by sex and age. Moreover, we also conducted the analyses by setting three subscales ("health consciousness," "health motivation," and "health value") as the outcomes.

RESULTS

Of the participants, 48.2% were men, and the mean age was 75.3±6.4 years. The prevalence of MCI was 65.0%. The mean scores of the Interest in Health Scale were 38.4±4.6 in the non-MCI group and 38.1±4.9 in the MCI group. A multiple regression analysis with adjustment for covariates indicated that MCI was significantly associated with a lower interest in health (b=-0.67, 95% confidence interval: -1.31, -0.04). Stratified analyses showed that this association was evident among men and those aged 75 years or older. In subscale analyses, a significant difference between groups was observed only in "health value" (b=-0.45, 95% confidence interval: -0.75, -0.15).

CONCLUSIONS

Older adults with MCI showed a lower interest in health than their cognitively normal peers, and this tendency was more pronounced among men and those aged 75 years or older. Moreover, a significant difference was found only in the "health value" subscale, suggesting that a diminished valuation of health may be a characteristic of MCI. Strategies to enhance health interests in this population are therefore needed to support preventive behaviors.