Sa sút trí tuệ và yếu tố liên quan ở người cao tuổi

Abstract

Introduction: Dementia is a common chronic disorder in the elderly, characterized by cognitive decline while maintaining normal consciousness. This is a noteworthy issue in the context of population aging in Vietnam, especially in Quang Ngai. Objective: To determine the prevalence of sarcopenia and its associated factors in elderly inpatients at Son Tinh District General Hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 400 patients aged 60 years and older, selected entirely using the convenient sampling method. The assessment tool used was the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scale to classify the levels of cognitive impairment. Results: The prevalence of dementia in the study population was 56.2%, including mild (24.2%), moderate (25.0%), and severe cases (7.0%). Identified risk factors included advanced age (≥ 77 years, OR = 12.2), low educational attainment (OR = 4.3), lack of intellectual work (OR = 2.7), infrequent television viewing (OR = 5.5), and living alone (OR = 5.4). Discussion: The high prevalence of dementia observed in this study suggests that it is becoming a significant health burden among the elderly in Son Tinh. Risk factors such as age, education level, and social interaction indicate that improving education and promoting social activities could be important interventions to mitigate risks. Additionally, health policies and intervention programs focusing on early screening and raising community awareness of dementia are necessary.  Conclusion: The findings indicate that dementia is a significant health burden among the elderly in the locality. Developing intervention programs such as early screening, raising community awareness, and improving living environments is essential to reduce the impact of dementia and enhance the quality of life for the elderly.