title: Participating in social activities helps preserve cognitive function: an analysis of a longitudinal, population-based study of the elderly.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study examines how changes in cognition over time are related to participation in social activities and the extent of social networks.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data are drawn from a population-based, longitudinal study that began in 1989 among elderly Taiwanese. An over-dispersed Poisson model is used to regress the number of failed cognitive tasks (0-5) in 1996, 1999, and 2000 on prior measures of cognitive impairment, social activities, social networks, health status, and sociodemographic characteristics. The analysis sample comprises 2387 individuals, who contribute a total of 4603 observations across three survey intervals (1993-96, 1996-99, 1999-2000).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjusting for prior cognitive impairment, baseline health status, and sociodemographic factors, respondents who participated in one or two social activities failed 13% fewer cognitive tasks (P < 0.01) than those with no social activities; those who engaged in three or more activities failed 33% fewer cognitive tasks (P < 0.001). In contrast, none of the social network measures was related to cognitive impairment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite a social structure where elderly persons often live with their children and social interaction is likely to be more family-centered than in western countries, data from Taiwan suggest that participation in social activities outside the family may have a bigger impact on cognitive function than social contacts with family or non-relatives.
authors.affiliation: Center for Population and Health, 312 Healy Hall, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057-1197, USA.
authors.forename: Dana A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Glei
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Landau
authors.forename: Noreen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.forename: Yi-Li
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Germán
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: Maxine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weinstein
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology