title: The impact of subjective memory complaints on quality of life in community-dwelling older adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of memory complaints on quality of life (QOL) in elderly community dwellers with or without mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants included 120 normal controls (NC) and 37 with MCI aged 65 and over. QOL was measured using the Japanese version of Satisfaction in Daily Life, and memory complaints were measured using a questionnaire consisting of four items. The relevance of QOL was evaluated with psychological factors of personality traits, sense of self-efficacy, depressive mood, self-evaluation of daily functioning, range of social activities (Life-Space Assessment), social network size, and cognitive functions including memory. The predictors of QOL were analyzed by multiple linear regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  QOL was not significantly different between the NC and MCI groups. In both groups, QOL was positively correlated with self-efficacy, daily functioning, social network size, Life-Space Assessment, and the personality traits of extraversion and agreeableness; QOL was negatively correlated with memory complaints, depressive mood, and the personality trait of neuroticism. In regression analysis, memory complaints were a negative predictor of QOL in the MCI group, but not in the NC group. The partial correlation coefficient between QOL and memory complaints was -0.623 (P < 0.05), after scores of depressive mood and self-efficacy were controlled. Depressive mood was a common negative predictor in both groups. Positive predictors were Life-Space Assessment in the NC group and sense of self-efficacy in the MCI group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Memory complaints exerted a negative impact on self-rated QOL in the MCI group, whereas a negative correlation was weak in the NC group. Memory training has been widely practised in individuals with MCI to prevent the development of dementia. However, such approaches inevitably identify their memory deficits and could aggravate their awareness of memory decline. Thus, it is critical to give sufficient consideration not to reduce QOL in the intervention for those with MCI.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Health Sciences, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Yohko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maki
authors.forename: Tomoharu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamagami
authors.forename: Tatsuhiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murai
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hachisuka
authors.forename: Fumiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Miyamae
authors.forename: Kae
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Awata
authors.forename: Chiaki
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ura
authors.forename: Ryutaro
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Haruyasu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003071:Cognition; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: depression; mild cognitive impairment (MCI); quality of life (QOL); self-efficacy; subjective memory complaints