Impact of sociodemographic characteristics on cognitive performance in an elderly Sicilian population.
OBJECTIVE
To assess cognitive levels in an elderly Sicilian population and to evaluate the role of education and other sociodemographic characteristics in cognitive performance.


BACKGROUND
The pattern of cognitive performance in the elderly has not been investigated extensively in well-defined Italian populations. This study was conducted as part of a door-to-door survey of common neurologic disorders (the Sicilian Neuro-Epidemiologic Study project).


METHODS
Thirteen physicians administered an Italian version of the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ) to all subjects aged 50 years or older who, on November 1, 1987, resided in either of two Sicilian municipalities (Terrasini, Palermo province, and Riposto, Catania province; n = 3,999). Performance was scored as the number of errors on the SMPSQ. To define cognitive impairment we corrected the score for education as suggested by Pfeiffer [J Am Geriatr Soc 1975;23:433-441].


RESULTS
The median SPMSQ score was equal to 2, and cognitive impairment was present in 4.6% of the subjects. In a bivariate analysis, age, sex, education, employment status at interview and principal lifetime occupation were all significantly associated with cognitive impairment. In a multivariate analysis, the same pattern was seen, except that principal lifetime occupation lost its significance.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that age, sex, education and employment status are the sociodemographic characteristics associated with cognitive impairment in the elderly as measured by the SPMSQ.
Salemi
Giuseppe
G
Department of Neurology, University of Palermo, Italy.
Reggio
Arturo
A
Morgante
Letterio
L
Grigoletto
Francesco
F
Patti
Francesco
F
Meneghini
Francesca
F
Aridon
Paolo
P
Di Perri
Raoul
R
Savettieri
Giovanni
G
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012802:Sicily / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors