Prevalence and correlates of cognitive impairment among the elderly in a general hospital.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence and correlates of cognitive impairment (CI) among the elderly in a general hospital.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study, including 200 Brazilian inpatients aged 60 years or over, using the Mini Mental State Examination to evaluate CI (dependent variable), and the Geriatric Depression Scale and the Katz and Lawton Index to evaluate basic (BADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL).


RESULTS
56% were women, 29% were dependent for BADL and 77.5% for IADL. The prevalence of CI was 29% and, in the logistic regression, it remained associated with higher age (>74 years old), number of previous hospitalizations (>3) and dependency for BADL (being dependent raised the odds of being cognitively impaired).


CONCLUSIONS
It is essential to train the hospital staff to properly assist these patients, and to orient and support their caregivers.
Mendes-Chiloff
Cristiane Lara
CL
Department of Neurology, Psychology and Psychiatry, Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University, 18618-970Botucatu, SP, Brazil. crislmjoel@uol.com.br
Torres
Albina Rodrigues
AR
Lima
Maria Cristina Pereira
MC
Ramos-Cerqueira
Ana Teresa de Abreu
AT
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors