journal articles
TRENDS IN COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN CHINA FROM 2002 TO 2022: EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Lei Feng, Kaisy Xinhong Ye, Qiushi Feng, Yan Mo, Zuqi Cai, Chunbo Li, Jintai Yu, Bin Li, Andrea B. Maier, Yi Zeng, Zhenglian Wang
BACKGROUND: Cognitive impairment is a growing public health concern, particularly in aging populations. While trends in CI prevalence in China were studied up to 2018, no previous research has explored how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected these trends.
OBJECTIVES: This study aims to extend the analysis to 2022, examining the impact of the pandemic on cognitive impairment prevalence.
PARTICIPANTS: The Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) data across multiple waves (2002 to 2022) was used (n=64,872).
MEASUREMENTS: Cognitive impairment was assessed using a Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The rural/urban-sex-single age-specific prevalence of cognitive impairment across different waves were estimated using the DemoRates R package. Cognitive impairment trends before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic were compared to identify any significant changes.
RESULTS: In 2018 and previous waves, an average of 16,191 participants per wave were surveyed (four waves), with a cognitive impairment prevalence of 4.3%. In 2022, post–COVID-19, the survey included 14,022 participants and showed a significant increase in CI prevalence to 6.8%. The observed trends were independent of gender, age group, and residential environment (P-trend < 0.001). However, a significant decrease in mean calf circumference, increase in proportion of overweight participants, and increases in daily fruit and vegetable intake and regular physical activity were notable after the pandemic.
CONCLUSION: The study suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic may have contributed to the observed increase in cognitive impairment prevalence in China, underscoring the importance of further research into the long-term cognitive effects of global health crises. These findings highlight the need to strengthen healthcare systems to support cognitive health in an aging population, while considering both pandemic-related and ongoing factors in the management of cognitive impairment.
CITATION:
Lei Feng ; Kaisy Xinhong Ye ; Qiushi Feng ; Yan Mo ; Zuqi Cai ; Chunbo Li ; Jintai Yu ; Bin Li ; Andrea B. Maier ; Yi Zeng ; Zhenglian Wang (2025): Trends in cognitive impairment among older adults in China from 2002 to 2022: Evaluating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease (JPAD). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjpad.2025.100370