Cognitive screening of elderly population: results from four primary healthcare centres in İstanbul, Türkiye
Abstract
Objective: Our study aimed to perform cognitive screening in primary healthcare centers and examine the prevalence and
associated factors of possible cognitive impairment for İstanbul, Türkiye.
Methods: A total of 200 people (male =105, female =95) aged 65 years and older from four primary healthcare centres in
Istanbul were randomly selected and enrolled in the study. The study population was screened using a socio-demographic
survey, a validated Turkish version of the Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (ACE-R) and Geriatric Depression
scale. Multilinear regression analysis was used to identify associated factors that contribute lower scores of ACE-R test.
Differences were considered statistically significant at p<0.05.
Results: Possible cognitive impairment prevalence was found 12.5% (n=25) in the study population, with females having
the higher proportion (n=20, 21.1% versus n=5, 4.8%, p<0.001). Based on multilinear regression model, high ACE-R
test scores correlated positively with more education in years (β=.462, p<0.001), negatively with living alone (β=-.286,
p=0.005), and low-income status (β=-.217, p=0.008) for male population. On the other hand, having more education in
years (β=.645, p<0.001) was the only positively correlated factor for high ACE-R test scores in the model for the female
population.
Conclusion: The study represents the most updated epidemiological information about cognitive screening at primary
heathcare level in İstanbul, Türkiye. More research is needed about cognitive decline at primary healthcare level to raise
awareness among the community.
Keywords
Cognitive screening, Prevalence, Risk factors, Primary healthcare
Supporting Institution
N/A
Project Number
N/A
Ethical Statement
All permissions for the study
were obtained from the Yeditepe University Ethical
Committee (ethics approval no: 953) and Provincial
Directorate of Health in İstanbul. Informed consent
forms were signed by all the study participants before
data collection, and in case of the participants were
unable to give the consent, written approval was
sought from the legally authorized representatives
who accompanied the participants in the primary
healthcare centres.
Thanks
N/A
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