Screening for cognitive impairment in older adults attending an eye clinic.
OBJECTIVE
We conducted a cross-sectional study examining potentially modifiable factors associated with cognitive impairments (mild or severe) in older whites, African Americans and Hispanics attending an outpatient eye clinic.


METHODS
In-clinic interviews and physical examinations assessed social, demographic and health information from 100 consecutive Hispanic, African-American and white adults aged > or = 55. Our primary outcome was presence of any cognitive impairment (mild or severe) using the St. Louis University Mental Status Examination (SLUMS) scale.


RESULTS
Of the 100 subjects, 65 screened positive for cognitive impairments on the SLUMS cognitive instrument: 46 with mild cognitive impairment and 19 with severe impairment (possible dementia). African-American and Hispanic adults (nonwhites) were significantly more likely to have cognitive impairment compared to white adults (OR 2.80: 95% CI = 1.05-7.44), independent of age, years of education and systolic blood pressure. Subjects with diabetes also had increased odds of cognitive impairments (OR 3.28, 95% CI = 1.21-8.90) even after adjusting for relevant confounders. There was a nonsignificant trend between visual acuity impairment and cognitive impairment (p = 0.059).


CONCLUSIONS
Sixty-five percent of adults aged > or = 55 attending the eye clinic screened positive for cognitive impairments, with higher rates among nonwhites and adults living with diabetes.
Raji
Mukaila A
MA
Department of Internal Medicine, Sealy Center on Aging, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555-0460, USA. muraji@utmb.edu
Tang
Rosa A
RA
Heyn
Patricia C
PC
Kuo
Yong-Fang
YF
Owen
Steven V
SV
Singh
Sonali
S
Ottenbacher
Kenneth J
KJ
D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D015995:Prevalence; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data